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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24530272">Of Royals and Redheads</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzureFangirl/pseuds/AzureFangirl'>AzureFangirl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Arranged Marriage, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Outspoken Reader, Politics, Princess!Reader, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:41:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>48,626</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24530272</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzureFangirl/pseuds/AzureFangirl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>You thought he was marrying your sister. He thought you would be as mild mannered a princess as she was. You both thought wrong.<br/>~<br/>Your sister was supposed to marry General Hux to solidify a political alliance that would benefit your planet, but she decided to run away at the eve of the wedding. Now, you are supposed to uphold the promise your planet made and marry Hux, even if it is the last thing you want to do. You both were destined to clash.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Armitage Hux/Reader, Armitage Hux/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>135</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The King's Command</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone! The idea for this story has been floating around in my head for months and I have finally decided to flesh it out. I love love love the arranged marriage and slow burn trope and this fic is a result of all my fantasies, because who doesn't want to be married to Hux?<br/>Anyways, the story will follow the general plot of the series but will have AU tendencies.<br/>I hope you all like it, comments and kudos make my day!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Solaris may not have been part of the Core worlds, but tenacious and determined rulers had made the planet rise from the murky waters of anonymity into one of the most spoken names in the galaxy, without the influence of any organisation. Part of the reason for the planet’s popularity was its natural beauty, the seas and forests putting Chandrila to shame. It would have been a utopia, the perfect paradise for travellers but its borders stayed mostly closed. The small amount of individuals lucky enough to visit the planet would gush over its sights, calling its capital Adamant spreading over half the planet a ‘marble Coruscant’. At its zenith of economic prosperity, the planet was an emerging powerhouse and everyone with their eyes set to the future wanted to form an alliance. The second reason for the planet’s popularity was very recent, gossip about the ruler’s family spreading like wildfire.</p><p>Before inheriting the throne from his father, Radius Imperion had been a reckless youth and had his fair share of participation in hedonistic pleasure. Like most young royalty ready to inherit the throne, he had not thought of the consequences. His marriage to Princess Selyse Luna had only strengthened Solaris’ political standing and all was well. Until it was not.</p><p>Everyone remembered the day she had marched into the palace, a grubby toddler in her arms. Keira demanded that the child be recognised as the official progeny of Radius; confident enough to allow a paternity test, but there had been no need. The infant possessed the same features as her father, including his caramel eyes. The only thing resembling her commoner mother was her somewhat pinched mouth and forehead that was a little too wide. The young Queen Selyse had surprised everyone when she took the infant in her arms, accepting her on the spot. Radius had been more hesitant, finally agreeing to raise young Calliope in the palace since she was his blood while Keira was allowed to live in a manor near the palace and see her child every month.</p><p>An illegitimate child could have been a potential scandal that would never go away, but Selyse’s understanding had saved the royal family’s face. All had been well, and when Calliope had turned five, Selyse gave birth to her own daughter. Once again, the flames of gossip had spread throughout the planet. Now that the legitimate heir and scion to the Imperion family throne was born, what was to become of Calliope? Once again, Selyse had insisted that Calliope was family, that (Y/N) and she would be raised like sisters.</p><p>This unique family dynamic had been on the tongues of every planet from Tatooine to Hosnian Prime. Still, idle chatter was soon silenced by the prosperity Radius brought to Solaris, easing border laws to allow trade with poorer neighbouring planets. It still had almost no foreign visitors, choosing to remain independent and secluded, away from the worsening political climate of the galaxy.</p><p>It had never occurred to you that your family was odd. Your father may have been an imposing figure in the throne room, but to you he had just been the man proudly telling you stories of your family history, his eyes glinting despite the darkness of your chambers. Your mother was the beloved figure, the whole planet never tired of singing her praises and rightly so. She was ethereal, there was no doubt, but her heart was one of the kindest anyone had ever encountered. It was her grace and mercy that had allowed the poorer factions of the planet to prosper, leading to a more equal society. Calliope had always been your big sister, even when you heard the servant’s gossip about her origins. It did not matter to you, she was your sister. She was the one you annoyed late at night when you could not sleep, whose room you would hide in when you got in trouble, which happened often enough.</p><p>You had lived a charmed life, growing up in the massive palace in the middle of the planet. Towards the front was the sprawling marble city Adamant, towards the back the massive forest lands and rolling hills, and at the very south, the ocean. Your people adored you, more than they did your sister. Everyone knew you were to inherit the throne and from a very young age you had people attempting to get in your good graces. Your tutors schooled you well, your mother teaching you how to be a princess while your father taught you how to be a ruler. Calliope had been there when all the lessons got overwhelming, always willing to sneak out into the forest with you, always ready to pout with you for a trip to the sea.</p><p>When Calliope would go to visit her mother, you would become exceedingly lonely. When you were younger you had chosen that time to hide up in the library archives, reading books older than your parents. As you grew older, you took this time to observe the guards training, finally demanding to be taught basic self defence. A particularly unfortunate incident had convinced you the world was not all perfect, and it was imperative that you learnt how to fight.</p><p>When the people of Solaris would be asked to describe their princesses, they would smile. Calliope was the quieter of the two, shyer and content to blend into the shadows. You, you demanded attention. You were made to be looked at. People would kill for invitations to the royal balls just so they could get a glimpse of you descending from the marble staircase, resplendent in your gowns, smiling demurely at the men throwing themselves at your feet. Instead of paying them any heed, you would find Calliope from whatever corner she had retreated to, dragging her to the middle of the dance floor and making her sway with you. As mortified as she would look then, later in the night she would sneak into your chambers, whispering her thanks to you for helping her have the time of her life.</p>
<hr/><p>Everything had been going wrong from the moment you opened your eyes. You had been late to breakfast, barely getting enough sustenance before you were escorted alongside Calliope to your tutors. You sent her jealous looks as the young Alec read her poetry, asking her to describe the poet’s emotions while Garibald droned on about Solaris’ history, expecting you to remember the exploits of your ancestors. How you would trade a million credits to switch places with Calliope, have her worry about whether Garibald had passed away while narrating King Oritel’s battle with the rebels or whether he was breathing, just imperceptibly, while you got to admire Alec’s blond curls and boyish smile.</p><p>In all the twenty one years of your life, this was the only time you envied your sister, when she sat across the good looking Alec, while Garibald across you looked like he had risen from the family crypt. Sometimes you thought the tutor was older than Solaris itself. He certainly looked it, his unruly mane of white hair prompting you to gift him a brush every single year without fail, his wrinkles deeper than the dark holes in the vast galaxy.</p><p>Your stomach was grumbling in protest and thankfully Calliope caught your rapidly forming scowl, feigning a headache and rushing you out into the hall before you ended up stabbing your tutor in the forehead. It was afternoon anyways, lunch was probably about to be set up. Turning to Calliope, you sent her a small grin, nodding at her gratefully and saying, “You just saved the walls from being painted red Cal.”</p><p>“I know, I could tell you were about to snap.” She replied, a soft smile on her face.</p><p>You had inherited your temper from your father and everyone remembered the time you had become bored with your lessons, wanting to play outside like every other six year old, resorting to biting your tutor hard enough to draw blood and warrant bandages. Smirking at the fond memory, you decided that the airy marble halls of the palace felt too stuffy for you. “Come with me to the balcony?” You offered Calliope, already on the way when you heard her agree.</p><p>While the palace had over twenty balconies joined to the larger chambers, the one you were talking about was unique. Towards the upper floors, it was enormous. It boasted the best view of the forest and the city, with couches and comfortable pillows, perfect for spending languorous days in the sun looking over the kingdom. Expertly weaving through the marble halls, inclining your head at the servants that bowed at you, nodding at the guards that stood at attention as you crossed, you finally reached your destination.</p><p>A quick glance back confirmed that Calliope was following you, albeit with lesser confidence. You had tried your best to make your sister feel at ease in the palace, harshly reprimanding servants daring to disrespect her because of the circumstances of her birth. You knew your mother had tried harder, loved her as much as she loved you, but Calliope had always felt out of place. It did not help that you were so perfect.</p><p>When you both had been growing up, Keira had tried her best to poison Calliope against you. You were everything she could not be, the legitimate heir, inheriting your mother’s looks and the love of the people. Calliope had tried to hate you, she really had, but she could not. Not when you had defended her so fiercely, loved her so unconditionally. Now, she watched you with the affection a mother would hold for her child, eyes following you as you walked to the edge of the balcony, placing your hand on the milky railing and inhaling the cold air deeply. Your hair flew behind you, your bejewelled circlet glinting in the light, your dress fluttering as you stayed absolutely still. Calliope knew nobody could love Solaris like you did, which is why you were the perfect choice for queen.</p><p>When you did not feel Calliope’s presence beside you, you turned back to catch her watching you. Her pretty face was creased with worry, her frown almost reaching up to her gold circlet and you rolled your eyes at her, gesturing for her to come forward. She relented, a smile returning to her face as she came to stand next to you, eyes taking in the glory of Solaris. The couches looked tempting and you sat down on the closest one, about to abandon all princess-like behaviour and curl up on it, when you head a guard clear his throat.</p><p>Both your heads snapped in the direction of the double doors of the balcony, seeing a guard standing at attention. Biting back your complaints, you stood up regally, raising an eyebrow at the guard. “My princesses, I apologise for the disturbance, but His Majesty requests your urgent presence in the dining hall.”</p><p>With this he bowed and excused himself, rushing away while you glanced at Calliope. She looked equally confused as you were and shrugged, walking out in the direction of the dining hall. You followed her, mind racing with the possibilities. If it were just a simple lunch, your father would never have sent a guard to summon you; instead one of your handmaidens would have come to fetch you. Picking up your pace, you strode purposefully through the halls and the guards opened the doors to the dining hall for you both.</p><p>Seeing your parents eased the crease in your brow and you walked along the room, reaching them at the head of the table and bowing your head. Calliope followed suit, bowing her head deeper and not raising her gaze till your father asked you both to sit down. Calliope usually sat to the left, next to your mother, but today your father gestured for her to be in your seat, at his side. Curious, you sat down in Calliope’s place, attempting to glean off information from your parent’s expressions.</p><p>As usual, your father’s face was impenetrable and you huffed. While it helped you greatly having the same ability to hide your emotions, it was a deterrent when you needed to figure out your father’s moods. A glance at your mother did not help either, her eyes were on Calliope. The servants started to lay down the dishes of the day, your parents taking out their share before you and Calliope helped yourselves.</p><p>Despite the fact that the cooks had made your favourite and you had been starving, you ate listlessly, more interested in what your father had to say. After what seemed like an age, King Radius finally reached for his goblet of wine, clearing his throat to catch everyone’s attention. Immediately, both Calliope and your eyes were on him, practically at the edge of your seats as you waited for him to start speaking. You were about to bang your head against the mahogany table in frustration when he finally spoke, his deep voice echoing across the room, “The matter I have to discuss is of deep importance and I expect you both to listen attentively with open minds.”</p><p>He paused for your agreement and after exchanging a glance, you both nodded, prompting him to continue, “Good. As you know, our planet is a proud one. We have reached these heights on our own, through the blood and sweat of our family line and our people. Our trade and treasure rivals that of any planet in the Core circle and it gives me great pride to say we achieved all of this without the help of the Republic or Empire.”</p><p>While your father’s words stirred a deep sense of pride in you, they did nothing to ease your confusion. Why were you getting another history lesson? “As much as we have enjoyed our privacy and minimal allies, choosing to stay out of the messy politics that have spread like a plague throughout our galaxy, we can no longer have this privilege.”</p><p>An unfamiliar feeling stabbed your heart, one you finally recognised as fear. You felt a chill crawl up your spine, a chill you had only felt once before, and your heart beat with worry for the fate of your planet. What was your father trying to say? Maker forbid, was Solaris threatened with an attack and forced to surrender? You had hoped your military was strong enough to hold back any invaders, ready to fight to the end to see the banner of your family fly in the sapphire skies of your planet, but it seemed like it was too late.</p><p>“Father please, do not worry us with your equivocal words. Tell us clearly why you summoned us here.” You implored, wanting your father to brush away your worries.</p><p>“Patience young one.” He chided, his tone bordering on firm and you lowered your head in apology, trying to control your heart as it hammered against your ribcage.</p><p>“As I was saying, we can no longer stay out of the galaxy’s politics. I have even bigger dreams for our home and the only way to achieve those is through powerful alliances. While we as a planet do not support either the Republic or the Empire, it would not hurt to benefit from them. And so, I have decided to arrange your marriages to key figures from both sides, to assure the glorious future of Solaris. I hope I am not wrong in expecting your full cooperation for the good of our home?”</p><p>Your father’s words rang in your ears and you breathed a subtle sigh of relief. Your planet was safe. While the overall prospect of marriage was not exactly appealing to you, you were just grateful it was an announcement concerning your matrimony and not the capture of your planet. “Rest assured Father, we will not disappoint you or our home.” You responded.</p><p>While your father sent you a smile a glance in Calliope’s direction made you worry again. Her eyes had glazed over, her frown visible again as she stared into her plate. You sent her a kick from under the table, startling her and her eyes fell on the expectant gaze of your father. Hesitating, she nodded filially before starting to stare at her plate again. Your father did not notice Calliope’s change in demeanour, or he chose to ignore it as he continued to speak, “I expected nothing less of my daughters. Now, since Calliope is soon to turn twenty six, she will be married before you (Y/N). You turn twenty one this winter, after which we can start searching for prospective grooms and discussing betrothals. I have already chosen someone for Calliope, and when she consents, I want them to get married on the 2<sup>nd</sup> of next month.”</p><p>You heard Calliope inhale sharply, and you did not blame her. It was less than a month away, and father’s tone did not leave room for protest or debate. You regretted stating your cooperation without discussing it with Calliope first, you had been so overwhelmed with relief over the fact that Solaris was not under attack that you had jumped at the alternative. You watched your sister as she finally raised her head, a weak smile on her face before she spoke softly, “As you wish Father. May I know who my husband will be?”</p><p>Your heart broke at her tone and you hoped and prayed that your father had made a good choice. He smiled at her consent, taking a deep sip of his wine before responding, “You’ll be marrying General Hux of the First Order.”</p><p>Immediately, your eyes were on your sister. She paled considerably and you tried to control your look of distaste, hoping your face would look as neutral as your father’s usually did. She met your gaze and you saw the tears filling her eyes as she bowed her head in agreement before excusing herself, getting out of her chair abruptly and rushing out. You made to get out of your seat and follow her out, but your mother’s gentle grip on your arm stopped you. “I’ll go after her my darling. Stay here with your father for a bit, then come join us in her chambers.”</p><p> You nodded at your mother, watching her as she got up gracefully, your father sending her a grateful nod as she smiled at him, affectionately stroking your cheekbone with the tips of her finger before gliding out the room. You wished to follow her, but you turned to your father instead. You knew he would want to discuss his plans with you; after all you were to inherit Solaris one day.</p><p>As he spoke, your mind kept wandering to Calliope’s unshed tears and you found yourself unable to concentrate. After fifteen minutes of dealing with unintelligible hums as answers to his questions, your father finally sighed, excusing you and allowing you to go see your sister. You practically jumped out of your seat, walking towards the door before turning in the last minute. Rushing back to the head of the table, you kissed your father’s cheek and whispered, “I love you.”</p><p>With that, you started to head outside, not bothering to glide elegantly like your mother had, instead choosing to practically run through the halls towards Calliope’s room. It was the closest to yours, and you saw Calliope’s handmaiden Tansy standing outside the door, wringing her hands worriedly. Pushing apart the doors and rushing inside, you went past her boudoir meant to entertain guests and opened the door to her bedroom. There she sat on the bed, wrapped in your mother’s arms as she cried softly. Your mother hushed her gently, stroking her hair and holding her close.</p><p>When they heard the door open, both their gazes turned to you. Calliope’s eyes were red from the tears and she looked at you helplessly, while your mother patted the space to her side, gesturing for you to come sit. Closing the door behind you, climbed onto the bed next to Calliope, placing a hand on her shoulder, confused as to how you could comfort her.</p><p>Seeing that you were now seated, your mother gently let go of Calliope, letting her sit up. She sniffled, and you shifted your hand from her back to her lap, grasping one of her hands and squeezing it lightly. “Now that (Y/N)’s here, I can speak.” Your mother said, her tone gentle and full of love, causing both of you to look up in her direction.</p><p>“My darling, I know this must seem daunting. Marriage is not an insignificant thing, and naturally one aspires to have a partner of one’s choosing. But, we cannot forget our upbringing and our duty. In my time, I had to leave my kingdom to come here to Solaris and while I was scared initially, it was one of the best decisions of my life. Radius has loved me and I have tried to uphold the honour of my old home by performing my duty to my new one. Similarly, you both will be performing a necessary duty for your home when you marry. An arranged marriage may seem less than acceptable, but remember it is for Solaris and its people. This should provide you with the strength to honour the decision your father has made.”</p><p>Your mother stopped speaking, trying to discern Calliope’s expression. She had calmed considerably due to your mother’s comforting tone and diplomatic words, nodding slowly at opportune moments. “Forgive me Mother; I fell weak for a moment.” She said, holding on to your mother’s hand earnestly.</p><p>“There is nothing to forgive my darling. I am sure the General is a good man; why else would your father have chosen him? I know you will be as happy with him as I am with Radius. Now that I know you have fully consented, I must leave to start preparations. We have less than a month. (Y/N) stay here with your sister, I’ve pardoned the rest of your lessons for the day. You may also have dinner in Calliope’s chambers if she does not feel up to coming outside.” Your mother said, getting off the bed and kissing the top of Calliope’s head before walking out the room, sending you a purposeful glance.</p><p>Once she left and you heard the main door close, you shifted so that you could face Calliope. While she looked calm, you knew she was worried about the upcoming marriage. And why should she not be? While your planet had chosen to remain cut off from politics, it was not like it knew nothing of the ideals of the First Order. You had personally thought of them as a stuffy group of trigger happy lunatics, but you kept these thoughts to yourself as you faced your sister. You had not heard of General Hux before, being quite unfamiliar with most members of the organisation. His title suggested he was at least middle aged, although you hoped he was not. You were also holding out hope for the fact that the man would not a blind soldier of the First Order, but a gentle soul instead.</p><p>As unlikely as it seemed, you had to stay positive for Calliope, and you voiced out these thoughts to her. Seeing her barely acknowledge your words, you got off the bed, gently making her lie down and pulling the covers up to her chin. Removing her circlet, you placed it on her bedside table, stroking away her hair from her face and saying, “Sleep for a while. I’ll be in your boudoir. If you need anything, call out.”</p><p>She nodded, turning over and drifting off almost immediately while you walked around the bed to her balcony, closing the drapes and gently closing the door. Sighing, you flopped onto one of the couches in her boudoir, unconcerned about how unladylike your posture was. You could feel a headache come on and you groaned lightly, you were not even the one getting married.</p>
<hr/><p>His posture was stiff as he sat in his office, overseeing the paperwork for the Starkiller base. While the base was relatively new, he wanted to make sure it was running smoothly. A visit would be due soon and if he found a cog out of order, there would be hell to pay.</p><p>He had another pressing matter to deal with, but he kept putting it off for as long as he possibly could. Burying himself with the piles of work was both and escape and an obligation. Kylo Ren had of course disappeared, a month prior to the events Hux could only describe as a hassle. Ren would be back by the end of next month, in time to meet Hux’s <em>wife</em>. He could barely think of the word, let alone accept its harsh reality. He had debated informing Kylo through a concise message sent via datapad, but had decided against it, wanting to see Ren’s shocked face once he told him face to face.</p><p>Just as he was about to dive into another pile of paperwork, he heard a knock at the door. “Enter.” He called out, sitting up straighter, his signature scowl now covering his features as the mechanical door slid open to reveal an officer.</p><p>“Sir. The royal family has given their answer.” He stated, stepping inside, a sealed letter in hand.</p><p>“Give it to me and get out.” Hux snapped and the officer complied, almost tripping over his heels with the speed he rushed forward, placing the envelope on the outstretched gloved hand before saluting and leaving.</p><p>Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the officer’s behaviour, Hux examined the piece of paper. It was sealed with wax, an emblem of sorts shaped into the navy wax and he searched for a small dagger in his drawers, cursing lightly when he could not locate it. Why could the royal family not have sent an email? How did the letter even get here? Impatience getting the better of him, Hux tore apart the seal, removing the letter from the envelope. Skimming through the contents, he could not help but smirk as he reached the end. They had agreed.</p><p>Of course they would agree. His minor doubts disappeared as he read over the lines repeatedly, satisfied that his plan was in motion. Now, it was time for him to find out as much as he possibly could about the planet and his soon-to-be in-laws.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!<br/>See you next update lovelies!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. First Impressions and Prolonged Stares</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello! I'm updating this fairly quickly for now because of the boundless inspiration I have, lets hope it is here to stay. Thank you so much for the comments, I was genuinely not expecting any until a few chapters in.<br/>Anyways, for a bit of context, Calliope looks quite similar to Oona Chaplin (Talisa from Game of Thrones) and the aesthetic I have in mind for Solaris' buildings, interiors and clothing is a mixture of the Elvish culture in Lord of the Rings and Ancient Greece/Rome. I hope this makes sense and helps you all visualise a bit better! Links for the outfits and crown are in the bottom notes.<br/>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Calliope sat across you, eyes blank as you tried to gauge a reaction from her. You were in the balcony with her, a wedding planner and her team with you. It had been almost a week since your father had made his announcement and while Calliope had stopped crying, she displayed no interest in wedding planning. Your mother had started organizing the preparations for the General’s visit, he was set to arrive a week before the wedding, and she wanted everything perfect. You had been assigned to pull Calliope out of her room and oversee her, but it was not an easy task. You were showing her different flower arrangements but she kept zoning out. Sighing deeply, you turned to the equally frustrated wedding planner. “One moment Ana.” You said, trying to appeal to her better nature before getting up, placing a hand on Calliope’s shoulder and pulling her up along with you.</p><p>Leading her to the door, you spoke, “I know this isn’t what you wanted, but wouldn’t you rather have some say in the whole thing?”</p><p>She shrugged before getting an idea. Clasping your hands, she started to plead, “Plan it for me, do it any way you like. I trust your taste. I cannot sit through all of this.”</p><p>From your expression, Calliope could tell you were about to disagree when she whispered, “Please. I can’t.”</p><p>Her tired tone pained you and you sighed, nodding. This made Calliope smile weakly and she excused herself to go lie down. Nodding, you watched her walk down the hall before re-entering the balcony. Clearing your throat to get the team’s attention, you started to speak, “I’ll be taking over from now on. Show me everything.”</p><p>As you sat there choosing what type of music should play, what flower arrangements should be where, your mind wandered. You pictured yourself walking down the aisle to some faceless hero and thought of what you would like to see on your own day. Stating out your preferences, the planning carried on till dinner. You were exhausted, and it was not even your wedding.</p>
<hr/><p>He was frustrated. Well, frustrated was an understatement. It was like his whole staff had decided to become absolutely incompetent the moment Kylo stepped off. His days were spent screaming at one officer or another, keeping him occupied enough to forget that his trip to Solaris was coming up.</p><p>Now he stood in his quarters, trying to finish packing before the shuttle arrived, which was in precisely ten minutes. He could have had one of his subordinates do it for him, but he preferred not having the prospect of his matrimony spread like wildfire. Only a few trusted officers knew as of now, the official announcement could be made whenever necessary. He did plan on having <em>her </em>come onto the Finalizer after the whole ordeal, and he tried not to let his mind drift to the debacle that would be.</p><p>In the two weeks since he received the letter of agreement, he had attempted to research as much as he could about the planet. He had ample information on its history, its political and economic power, but very little about the family he was marrying into. Reports said that the Imperion ancestry was an elite and illustrious one but he did not care. What mattered was that the planet was an emerging superpower, and would be a great ally for the First Order. The rest was inconsequential.</p><p>He finished packing just in time, hearing a knock on the door. He called out to whoever it was and the door slid open to reveal one of his officers, with a few stormtroopers. They filed into the room, picking up his bags and walking out while the officer stood waiting to escort Hux. Nodding stiffly, his eyes swivelled around the room once. He had wanted to check up on Millicent before he left, but as usual the feline had a mind of her own. She was probably in some corner or the other and he did not have the time to search for her. Taking some relief in the fact that the droid he had assigned to her would make sure she was fed, he marched purposefully out the room.</p><p>The officer marched behind him, wanting to ask questions about the purpose of the General’s visit, but valued his life more than his curiosity. Reaching the pilot bay, Hux eyed the shuttle. It was small, and for a reason. Insisting on privacy, the royal family had only extended their invitation for him to stay, not any of his men. A small squadron would escort him for the flight, not allowed to step off the shuttle when the family received him. A few First Order members would be allowed to attend the wedding, but only as witnesses and were to be escorted out after the end of the festivities.</p><p>He was naturally suspicious about this arrangement, but he knew they would not dare harm him. Nobody would be willing to risk the wrath of the First Order raining down on them, especially a planet trying to become stronger. Stepping onto the shuttle, he inspected the interior once before taking a seat. The journey would not be that long, two hours at most and he decided to get as much work done as possible during this time, starting to type away on his datapad as the shuttle took off.</p>
<hr/><p>Today was the day he would arrive. Being shoved into wedding planning had barely left you with time for much else, including trying to find out as much as you could about the General. You were not curious yourself, this information was supposed to be a comforting factor for your sister so she would not marry a complete stranger. Yet at this point, you wondered if Calliope even cared. She had grown quieter than normal, the bags under her eyes becoming heavier each passing day, her skin turning sallow as she ate less and less. You were extremely worried about her, simultaneously annoyed at your father for choosing to ignore her state. While you knew he would not call off the wedding, you had hoped he would offer some kind of comfort or encouragement, but he had been busy with his advisors and appointed officials.</p><p>Getting out of bed, you stretched to let out the knots in your back. The General was set to arrive some time before lunch and you had to get both Calliope and yourself looking presentable before then. The past week had been full of rigorous planning, the only enjoyable part being the multiple gowns you purchased and ordered. The royal seamstress had been given an enormous order but you had also been to some stores in Adamant, wanting to get a large variety of things. Calliope was roughly the same size as you and you had deliberately ordered too many dresses, knowing your sister would hardly wear them all and you would have the chance to get them tightened to fit you. You considered it a reward for all the hours you had spent planning the wedding.</p><p>Brushing through your hair, you debated on what to wear. While it was an official visit and you were required to look presentable, the General was coming to see your sister. You wanted all eyes to be on her for a change. Sifting through your expansive closet, your eyes fell on a white gown you had not worn in a while. It was considerably plainer than the rest, the rustling material flowing to your ankles with a slit on the side reaching to your lower thigh, the only embellishment being the thick gold belt at its waist. It was understated yet pretty, just what you needed. Pulling it out, you did not bother calling in your handmaiden to help you into it, deciding to get ready with Calliope.</p><p>Carefully carrying the gown out of your bedroom and past your boudoir, you stepped into the hall. The guard posted at your door bowed at you, unable to hide his confusion at the fact that you were in a nightgown and robe. Walking past him, you counted the steps before you reached Calliope’s room. Stepping inside, you saw Tansy already waiting. She rushed to you, taking the dress out of your hands and laying it gently onto the couch. “May I help you get dressed Your Highness?” She asked and you shook your head.</p><p>“No, that’s alright Tansy. I’d rather you fetch Alyce, show her my gown and she’ll know what jewels to pick out. Have her bring them here. I’ll wake Calliope.”</p><p>Tansy nodded dutifully, bowing before scurrying out to find your handmaid. Walking into Calliope’s bedroom, you could see her sleeping form tangled underneath the covers. Walking to her windows, you pulled apart the drapes, revealing her balcony and letting the bright sunlight filter through. You heard a low groan, rolling your eyes at Calliope. She was the morning person between you two, waking up with the sun while you had been a night owl. How the tables had turned. You glanced back at Calliope, who was still hiding under the covers. You walked to her, harshly pulling the covers off the bed.</p><p>She sat up abruptly and you sent her a saccharine smile before saying, “Your to-be husband will be arriving in a few hours and I cannot have you meeting him looking like this. Get out of bed before I pull you out.”</p><p>Your tone left no room for debate and she got out of bed, fixing her nightgown and yawning slightly. You led her out to the boudoir, just in time to see Tansy and Alyce come in. Alyce bowed deeply at you, an ornate wooden box in her hand along with a small bag, both of which she placed next to your gown. “Lovely. I want you both to draw Calliope a bath of lavender and lilies. That should wake her up. Scrub her like she’s spent six months in the forest.”</p><p>Alyce and Tansy nodded dutifully at your order, heading to Calliope’s bathroom while she yawned next to you before asking, “What about you?”</p><p>“Dear sister, I had Alyce draw me a luxurious bubble bath last night, which is why I smell of Solarian jasmine and roses. Worry about yourself.” You replied, pushing her towards the bathroom.</p><p>When you heard sounds of splashing, you turned back to your outfit. Heading to the couch, you first checked the bag Alyce had brought. Bless her, it had your undergarments. Slipping them on and letting your nightgown fall to the floor, you picked up your dress. “Let me, my lady.” You heard Alyce say from behind you.</p><p>Smiling, you let her dress you. She was only a few years older than you and one of the only people your age you enjoyed interacting with apart from your sister. She was kind and incredibly devoted to you, although you had started to suspect her reason for coming to check on you in your chambers was now due to the guard outside your door, Ajax. She fastened the clips of the dress before walking to the box. Opening it, she showed you the jewellery she knew you would pair with the dress. Inside were your gold bangles which you would stack up until they covered half your forearm and your diamond drop earrings. Alyce helped slip them on and you requested her to find your golden gladiators, they would fit in perfectly with the outfit. Bowing deeply, she rushed off while you walked to Calliope’s mirror.</p><p>Your sister did not have an additional floor length one like you did, so you made do with the one on her dresser. You smiled at your reflection, the look was almost complete. You heard footsteps, seeing Calliope in a towel with Tansy behind her. Clapping your hands exited, you walked to your sister’s closet. It was rare that you got a human doll to dress up. Sifting through the clothes, you mentally clapped yourself on the back for having new gowns made for her. Calliope dressed quite demurely as compared to the rest of the planet, where it was common to wear thinner, almost sheer materials with shorter sleeves, plunging necklines and slits. The reason for the revealing fashion was the fact that Solarians were very resistant to the elements, able to frolic in the snow in their undergarments without feeling affected, thus clothes were always worn for their aesthetic value and less to cover one up and protect from the weather.</p><p>Picking out a lovely mint dress that would contrast well with her eyes, you handed it to Tansy. Calliope was about to protest, the sleeveless and midriff revealing material looking too risqué for her, but a glare from you made her protests die in her throat. While you rummaged through her small drawer of jewels, Tansy dressed your sister. Picking a pretty silver chain with a small emerald on it, you turned to see Calliope standing awkwardly in her dress. Just as you thought, it looked lovely on her. “Stand straight. You look wonderful.” You ordered, walking up to her and putting the necklace on her.</p><p>Stepping away, you took in her appearance, debating for a moment before removing your earrings, handing them to her and saying, “These will do.”</p><p>Immediately Calliope protested eyes wide as she shook her head as she said, “How can I wear these? They are yours!”</p><p>“I am aware, but I’m making you borrow them. Now be a dear and slip them on.” You replied airily, flicking your hand and waving off her protests.</p><p>Hesitating, she nodded and put them on. Leading her to her dresser, you made her sit down on the plush ottoman before turning to Tansy and saying, “Fetch us some juice and cut fruits. We’ll be having breakfast in here.”</p><p>Tansy nodded and left while you turned to Calliope. Rubbing your hands in excitement, you grabbed a hairbrush and started to brush her hair while she insisted she could do it herself. “Calliope I swear, one more peep from you and I will not hesitate. Shut up and let me dress you up.” You snapped at her before continuing to brush her hair, humming a cheery tune.</p><p>You started to braid her hair, planning on making an intricate updo. Calliope watched you work from the mirror, smiling despite all her nervousness at how happy you looked. You were concentrating on making her hair and did not notice her looking at you, too busy weaving one knot into the other. You were almost finished when Tansy returned with breakfast. “Yes, thank you Tansy, start feeding Calliope. Where is Alyce? She was supposed to fetch my shoes.” You asked, surprised she had been gone so long.</p><p>“Your highness, I saw her with Ajax on the way to the kitchens, I’m sure she’ll be here soon.” Tansy replied shyly, starting to stab fruits onto the fork and put them into Calliope’s awaiting mouth.</p><p>Rolling your eyes and hiding a smirk, you continued you make your sister’s hair. Once it was done, you took a small break, downing the glass of juice and eating a bit of fruit. Once you saw Calliope was done with her food, you stood up again, rummaging through her dresser and finding her makeup. It looked almost unused and you wanted to bang your head against the wall. Turning to Calliope, you said, “I won’t do much. Just hide your dark circles and enhance your face.”</p><p>She nodded and you started to work your magic on her. Just as you were putting on the last traces of lipstick, you heard the door opening. From Tansy’s reaction of bowing deeply, you assumed it was one of your parents. The fact that the person entering did not speak, let you know it was your mother. Turning, you saw her standing there with hands folded behind her back and you sighed earnestly at how beautiful she looked. She was wearing an old gown, one she had made for her anniversary with your father a few years ago and it fit her perfectly, the deep blue perfectly representing the colour of your family crest. Decked in full regalia, you glanced up at her crown with wide eyes. It had been one of the most beautiful pieces of jewellery you thought your mother owned, passed down your family for generations. Only the queen could wear it, but you remembered trying it on in your early teens, preening in front of the mirror.</p><p>“Calliope my dear, you look beautiful.” You heard your mother say and your chest puffed out in pride, it was your effort that was being complimented.</p><p>Walking up to you both, your mother brought her hands to the front and you saw she had your circlet in hand. It was a miniature version of her crown, twisted gold flowers with small diamonds and a huge sapphire smack in the middle. She placed it gently onto your head before turning to Calliope, opening her drawer and taking out her gold one. Fixing it into the hairdo you had made, your mother placed a hand on her shoulder before saying, “You are ready.”</p><p>Turning back to you, your mother glanced down, frowning slightly when she saw your bare feet. Looking up at you, she raised an eyebrow, demanding an explanation. Just as you were about to start your line of excuses, Alyce rushed into the room with red cheeks and heavy breaths, clearly exhausted from whatever she had been doing with Ajax. When she saw your mother, she stood up stiffly, bowing and rushing to you, shoes in hand. You sent her a reproachful glance before slipping on your shoes and turning to your mother who nodded her approval.</p><p>You were about to say something when you heard trumpets. Eyes widening, you looked at your mother with panic. He was already reaching and Calliope still had to visit the family crypt for her blessing. You wanted to curse, but your mother’s presence acted like a lock on your tongue. “(Y/N) come with me, we will go receive our guest while Calliope visits the crypt.” Your mother ordered and you nodded, already walking to the door when you saw her turn to Calliope and say, “Make haste.”</p><p>Calliope got up too, wearing a pair of silken slippers and following the two of you out the room. You turned with your mother in one direction while Calliope turned in the other, heading to the back gardens and through there the pavilion that was your family crypt. Glancing back, you sent Calliope a smile before she rushed down the halls. Turning to your mother, you realised you did not have time to make your hair, leaving it loose. You conveyed this concern to your mother as you both made your way down the staircase to the main entrance. “It doesn’t matter darling; you look so much more enchanting when it’s open.” Your mother replied.</p><p>“I’m not the one who needs to enchant him.” You muttered to yourself, curiosity burning through you as you finally reached the main entrance. You could see your father already outside with the guards and a few advisors. He was also dressed in the colours of the family crest, the blue suiting him well, his crown glinting in the light. You could make out an ugly spot in the otherwise beautiful blue sky, realising as it got bigger that it was probably the ship carrying the General. Turning to you, your mother ran a hand through your hair before explaining, “I’ll be standing outside with your father. Ambassador Cygnus will go receive him from the ship and bring him up to us. You will wait here, out of sight until we introduce you. Hopefully Calliope will be here by that time and you can help her out, if not, just come out on your own. Understood?”</p><p>You nodded dutifully and your mother smiled at you before walking outside and taking her place beside your father. He turned to see you, sending you a smile to let you know he thought you looked pretty and you beamed back at him before stepping to the side so you could not be seen. From what you could tell, his ship was about to land, it would take at least a few minutes for him to reach your parents. Deciding to distract yourself, you started admiring some of the portraits on the walls.</p><p>Your ancestors looked back at you, all posing regally and you smiled. You always held a sense of pride at your family, glad that you resembled the people in the portraits. As a child it had always been a centre of comfort for you and you realised Calliope never had that. Eyebrow creasing with worry for your sister, you were distracted when you heard the trumpets again. He was here. Had he been your betrothed, you would have snuck a glance by now, but he was not. You instead stared at the tiled floor, straining your ears to hear what was being talked about. From what you could tell, your parents were currently welcoming him.</p>
<hr/><p>The flight had not been terrible and he had been able to sift through a few documents including the requests for promotion from officers. Some he agreed to, most he rejected. Just as he was about to open one for the transfer of a certain officer, he was informed that the shuttle was about to land. Standing up, he placed away his datapad into one of his bags, smoothing out his overcoat and adjusting his command cap as he felt the shuttle land. The door opened, extending the hatch and he saw a middle aged man waiting for him, guards flanking his sides. Turning to the troopers on the ship, he sent them a brief nod before stepping out and walking towards the awaiting welcoming party.</p><p>The man bowed his head in respect before starting to speak, “On behalf of the Royal Family of Solaris I, Ambassador Cygnus, bid you welcome General Hux.”</p><p>He nodded at the man’s words, noticing the guards step past him onto the shuttle, picking up his bags and walking out. He heard the door close behind him, the shuttle starting to take off. He was stuck here now, it was official. Allowing himself to look around, his eyes widened slightly. The palace was quite magnificent, the marble reflecting the sun almost blindingly, distant mountains adding to the splendour of his view. Manicured lawns were on each side, a stone path leading up to the palace where he could faintly make out crowns on the heads of the awaiting people. As he walked towards them beside the ambassador, he was hit with the thought that he was marrying up.</p><p>This thought was further solidified as he came closer to the figures waiting for him. Their robes were expensive and the stones they wore in their jewellery larger than any he had seen before. He had expected them to look flashy, but the wearers made them look tasteful. When he finished climbing up the short flight of steps, he was finally in front of his soon to be in laws. Bowing stiffly at them, Hux took the time the ambassador used to introduce him to observe the king and queen. The latter was beautiful, not a wrinkle in sight, a few strands of grey hair being the only marker of her age. She was smiling at him, and he glanced towards the king. The man cut for an imposing figure, the broad chest and steely expression would have left any man feeling uncomfortable, but Armitage Hux was not some common man. He met the king’s piercing gaze steadily, causing the man to break out into a smile.</p><p>“Welcome to our humble home General Hux.” The king said, his deep voice booming.</p><p>“We hope your journey was pleasant.” The queen spoke, her voice much softer and tone motherly.</p><p>Nodding, Hux quickly ran through what he had planned to say, clearing his throat before speaking, “Thank you, Your Majesties for opening your home to me and accepting the alliance. The First Order was much pleased at your decision.”</p><p>“Let us introduce you to our daughter.” The queen said and Hux stood up straighter.</p><p>You heard him speak, surprised at how deep and clear his voice was; his accent crisp. When you heard your mother mention her daughter, you muttered a small curse; Calliope was nowhere to be seen. Running a hand over your skirt to make sure it fell properly, you raised your head so your chin was parallel to the floor, doing your best imitation of your mother’s genteel smile and glide, heading outside. The first thing you saw was the black uniform, contrasting sharply against the marble steps. Your gaze flickered upwards, and you were glad you had practiced controlling your emotions; otherwise you were sure you would gasp. The General was so much younger than you had expected.</p><p>Two frozen lakes were staring at you, cold and impenetrable but at the same time beautiful. He had wonderful eyes. You took in the rest of his appearance, the sharp cheekbones and pursed mouth, his skin pale. You could make out his sideburns, surprised at the flaming colour. The uniform was tight and tailored impeccably and the General stood straight as a rod. He was handsome but when your eyes met his again, you realised he was still staring at you, and this irked you.</p><p>As he saw a figure step out, the first thing that hit his eyes was an almost blinding glint. As you took your place beside your parents, he saw the glint came from your circlet. So this was the princess, he thought. Your eyes sparkled under the sun, your skin flawless and glowing slightly. Your lips were almost unnaturally red, pouted perfectly and your lashes looked like they were miles long. As his gaze shifted downwards, he tried to make sure his eyes did not widen. Your dress revealed your collarbones, only covering one shoulder. Your arms were bare and he could see your leg peeking out from the side of the skirt, the material sheer. Being so used to the uniformed officers aboard his star destroyer, he was surprised to see you showing so much skin. Your hair fluttered lightly in the breeze and he realised he had been staring too long, but he could not look away. The fact that you looked like this pleased Hux’s most basic instincts. A gorgeous wife would be easier to tolerate. You also looked much younger, and he took this as a sign that you would be more impressionable.</p><p>He was about to step towards you and kiss your hand when he heard the queen say, “This is our younger daughter, the crown princess (Y/N) Imperion.”</p><p>Ah. You were not his to-be wife, you were her sister. That meant you were his sister-in-law. He hated to admit that he felt slightly disappointed, but he pushed away that feeling, remembering etiquette. Blinking rapidly, he bowed his head before saying, “A pleasure to meet you, princess.”</p><p>You thought you saw his face fall for a second when you were introduced, but you brushed away this thought, instead trying to control your annoyance over the fact that he had been blatantly admiring you. When he spoke, you did not smile at his words despite the fact that you found his voice nice, nodding back at him and saying, “The pleasure is all mine, General.”</p><p>Of course, your voice had to be perfect too. Brilliant. Armitage resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his own thoughts, why was his mind coming up with things like this? You were not the one he was marrying. Still, he found himself hoping that your sister would be similar to you in looks.</p><p>Maker, this man was not subtle. He was staring at you again; an odd expression on his face and you resisted the urge to poke his eyes out. On any other day, if a General with his looks stared at you like this, you would have felt amazing, glad someone handsome was so enamoured by you. But this man was supposed to marry your sister and you had to see him from the lens of a sister, not those of a woman. </p><p>Thankfully, you heard Calliope behind you calling out, “I apologise for being late.”</p><p>Hux’s eyes drifted to the newcomer, taking in her appearance. She was prettier than the average woman, the revealing mint dress complimenting her features. She stood next to you, her eyes shyly taking him in. Interesting. Despite being older, he could tell she lacked the confidence you had and he wondered why. Even her circlet was much simpler than yours, just a gold band with a simple pattern and despite being older, she was not the crown princess. He wanted to know the reason for this, but that could be done later. “General, this is our elder daughter Calliope, your intended.”</p><p>At the queen’s words he stepped forward, bowing his head and taking the hand she extended to him and kissing it lightly. As he stepped closer, his nose was infiltrated with a heady scent and as he stood up straight again, he realised it was coming from you. Without meaning to, his eyes shifted to you again. You were as beautiful up close and he would have kept staring, but he noticed the mild annoyance in your eyes. Turning his gaze back to your sister, he could feel his mind scream at him to get it together, while the primitive parts of his brain yelled to see you again. It was not that Calliope was not good looking, quite the opposite. But you were alluring and despite being more dressed up, Calliope paled next to you. Still, he sent her a curt nod and spoke, “Finally, we meet. A pleasure.”</p><p>You wanted to roll your eyes at the man’s tone, he sounded so confident and sure of himself. Calliope’s behaviour was annoying you even more, yes she had always been shy but right now she was behaving like a child. She spoke so softly, you had to strain your ears to catch what she said, and you were standing right beside her. “Yes, the pleasure is mine General Hux.”</p><p>It took her twenty seconds to form that sentence, and you wanted to bang your head against the marble steps. It was like your sister had forgotten all the lessons in etiquette that had been drilled into her. Before the situation could get any more awkward, you heard your father speak, “Let’s head inside. Cygnus will show you your quarters General, you can freshen up and join us for lunch.”</p><p>Hux nodded, following the family inside. The palace interiors were equally impressive, and the array of colours a sharp contrast from the interiors of most First Order buildings. He noticed how you glided, almost like you were floating and he wanted to shoot himself with a blaster. Why was he, in this imperative situation, behaving like this? Armitage considered himself to always have full control, his mind always trumping his heart but right now, the latter organ was clearly running the show, beating much quicker than normal. For the last time, she’s going to be your sister-in-law, he screamed mentally, shifting his gaze to Calliope’s back. They reached another staircase, the royal family turning to face him again and he forced himself to look at the king. “We’ll see you at lunch.”</p><p>Nodding, he watched the family disappear before turning to the awaiting ambassador. Following the man up the steps, he tried to remember the way to his room. Stepping inside, he took in the space. There was a fair sized living room of sorts that led into the bedroom. It was spacious, bigger than his large quarters aboard the Finalizer, tasteful and bright with natural sunlight. He could see the small balcony where the light was originating from, catching a glimpse of the view of the forest. Turning to the ambassador, he watched the guards march into the room, placing his bags onto a couch and leaving. “I hope everything is to your liking General. There will be a footman assigned to you, he’ll be outside your quarters at all times, do not hesitate to demand anything. I’ll take your leave.” The ambassador spoke, bowing his head and stepping out.</p><p>Closing the door, Hux dropped onto the couch and sighed in surprise at how soft it was. While this whole experience had not been strenuous, he was tired from all the mental energy it took to keep his eyes in control. Getting back up, he walked into the bedroom, seeing a door and opening it to find his bathroom. Wanting to stop feeling so tuckered out, he removed his cap and smoothed his hair, making sure it was impeccably coiffed. Removing his gloves, he opened the tap and splashed a handful of water onto his face. The cold temperature was like a shock, a wakeup call he desperately needed. Looking at his reflection, he sneered before speaking, “Get a hold of yourself. Do not mess this up. She is not the one you are marrying, do not look her way. Besides, she isn’t much to look at anyways.”</p><p>He spat out the last part in an attempt to convince himself, not that it worked, his heart knew he had never been more incorrect. He wanted to scream in frustration, yet he composed himself. Picking up his cap and gloves, he decided fresh air would do him good. Opening the glass double doors, he stepped into the balcony. The wind was cool against his face and the sun was not overbearing. He could admit that he found this pleasant, the view of the trees not bad either. He tried to get a glimpse of Adamant, but he could barely make out its border wall. Cursing himself for not catching a glimpse during his flight, he stepped back into his room.</p><p>Wearing his gloves again, he took off his greatcoat and folded it neatly onto the bed, placing his cap on top. Now he was in his blazer and pants, a much more appropriate look for lunch. He heard a knock at the door, walking briskly towards it, opening it to see a young teen standing there. He bowed deeply and introduced himself, “I’m Will, Sir. I’m to escort you to dinner.”</p><p>Armitage took no small pleasure in the fact that the youth before him was practically trembling. Wanting to keep up the aura of fear, he made sure his face was impassive as he nodded, stepping out his room. Will started to walk, almost tripping on his feet, which caused Hux to smirk. He took in the hallways, seeing the portraits and large arches, all giving off a regal air. He memorised the way to the dining hall, wanting to not feel lost in the expansive space. Will opened the door for him and he stepped inside, seeing the king and queen seated at the head of the table, with Calliope at the queen’s side. You were nowhere to be seen, and he was disgusted that he felt a pang of disappointment. It was probably for the better, he thought to himself. This way he did not have to worry about staring at you. Making his way across the room, he saw a setting laid out for him beside Calliope. Pulling his seat, he took his place next to her, nodding his greeting at the king and queen. “I hope everything is to your liking General.” The queen said kindly.</p><p>Nodding, he replied, “Yes, thank you Your Majesty. Please, call me Armitage.”</p><p>As much as he did not like people using his first name, these people were his future in laws and he had to extend basic courtesy. His words had the desired effect, the queen smiling at him and he felt Calliope shift at his side. He could tell she was nervous and he knew it was because of him. He was about to speak to her when he heard the door open.</p><p>Instead of following your family to the dining hall, you had excused yourself and headed to your room, promising to join them shortly. You kept up a composed expression as you walked to your room. Ajax saw you coming, smiling at you and you dismissed him, informing him that Alyce was probably by the kitchens. You saw him blush, thanking you before heading down the hall. Stepping into your boudoir, you slammed the door shut, resting against it and finally letting out a frustrated yell. Maker! That man annoyed you so much.</p><p>His whole demeanour was so over confident, so stiff and rigid that you suspected that the First Order had sent a bot instead of a human. And then there was the matter of his staring. Did that man have no shame? He was marrying your sister in a week but he was looking at you like he had never seen a woman before. What annoyed you even more was the fact that a small, very small part of you liked it. He was very attractive and it was an ego boost to see him behaving the way he did. But still, it was not appropriate, something you kept reminding yourself. Taking deep breaths to calm yourself, you stepped out of your room again. You were walking down the hallways, deciding to take a longer route so you would not have to run into the General by any chance.</p><p>You were about to turn a corner when you heard voices. Ears pricking, you made sure you were unable to be seen, you started to listen in. “Fate is a cruel temptress. I almost pity the General.”</p><p>Your brows furrowed at the words, recognising the voice as one of the guards when the second spoke, “The bastard weds the bastard. And besides, I would hold in the pity, I’ve heard quite the stories about him.”</p><p>You could turn and walk to the dining hall, but curiosity burned through you, coupled with anger at the second speaker. Adjusting your circlet, putting on your most imposing look, you stepped out into the hall. The guards stopped laughing immediately, bowing hastily at you. “Now, I’m only going to ask once. What did you mean when you said the bastard weds a bastard? The whole planet is aware of my sister’s adoption, and it would be a pity for you to be exiled because of a forgetful mistake.” You said, not bothering to hide the venom in your tone.</p><p>Your words had the desired effect, the guards starting to shake in fear, bowing and starting to apologise profusely. Raising a hand to silence them, not interested in their grovelling, you ordered, “Pray tell what you have heard about the General. Spare no detail.”</p><p>Nodding, the guard started to speak about his time in Tatooine, where he had encountered a few Resistance members and heard ample stories about the apparent ruthless young general. You listened on as the guard recounted tales of Hux’s ambition, your blood running cold at the mention of the fact that it was probable he had his own father killed, that he would throw insubordinate officers off his ship and watch them freeze. Blinking rapidly, you dismissed the two guards, warning them it would cost them their tongues if they ever spoke about your sister in such a way again. You watched them apologise to you before scrambling off, deeply disturbed by what you had heard.</p><p>As you walked down the hall, your heart went out for your sister. Poor Calliope, she was so gentle and sweet, and she was supposed to marry a man like Hux. While you did not believe everything the guards said, being no stranger to exaggerated gossip, you knew these rumours had to stem from somewhere. At best he was a cunning individual with a violent streak, at worst a completely power hungry lunatic. Neither option sat well with you.</p><p>Reaching the dining hall, you pushed the door open, seeing him already seated next to Calliope. Controlling your feeling of distaste, you walked to your seat. You kept your expression neutral as you sat down but could not help but smile at your father when he covered your hand with his.</p><p>Armitage watched you walk down the room, taking a seat next to the king. Your expression was cold and you were avoiding his gaze, your bangles clinking as you moved. The sound should have annoyed him, but he quite enjoyed it. Then he saw your father take your hand. You turned to him and smiled, and Armitage felt his heart freeze for a second. Your smile was wonderful, your expression full of love and devotion for your father. <em>Wonderful. Beautiful. Gorgeous. </em>What was wrong with him? Armitage had rarely ever used these words, and never to describe a woman. To him, an orderly routine was wonderful, Starkiller base was beautiful and Millicent’s yellow green eyes were gorgeous.</p><p>Your gaze shifted away from your father, smile dropping instantly. Armitage observed the servants as they brought forth the multiple dishes. They smelled appetizing and he felt his mouth water, looking much better than the bland food on the Finalizer. Once it was all served, he saw how Calliope and you held back, waiting for your parents fill their plates first. Once they were done, he imitated you both, starting to help himself. Taking an experimental bite, he felt his taste buds dance at the flavour. He kept eating, looking up occasionally from his plate to glance at Calliope, his gaze then automatically shifting to you.</p><p>He was glad everyone was eating in silence, hating it when people talked with their mouth full and attempted to fill every empty space with meaningless conversation. He finished eating the same time everyone else did, watching a servant step forward and start to fill the king’s goblet with wine. The servant turned to him next, offering to fill his goblet but Armitage shook his head. It was not like he did not drink, he just wanted to keep an absolutely clear head.</p><p>Once the king had downed his drink, he spoke, “Now then General, if you are up for it, my daughters will give you a tour of our home.”</p><p>Armitage nodded, eyes shifting to you when you spoke, “You all will have to excuse me, I am not feeling well.”</p><p>“Is everything alright darling?” You heard your mother say and you nodded swiftly.</p><p>Not wanting to spend any time with the General, you would rather retire to your private gardens or your room. “I feel a bit light headed Mother. I think some time in the garden would do me well.”</p><p>As you said these words, you made sure to look a bit tired and sick, waiting for your parents to fall for your little white lie. You were about to use your signature doe eyes and pout as a final resort, but you saw your father nod and give his permission. Getting up, you excused yourself and walked out the dining hall, feeling both Calliope’s and Hux’s eyes on you. While you felt guilty for leaving your sister alone, you needed some time to think and plan your best course of action concerning the General.</p><p>Avoiding going into your room, you instead walked out into the gardens. Following a stone path, you headed towards the family crypt. Once the pavilion-like structure came into sight, you turned to the left, walking towards the tall hedge wall with a wooden door fitted in. Pushing it open, you stepped into your personal gardens and sighed with relief.</p><p>The large area was walled with tall hedges, one corner reserved for your roses. The rest of it was freshly cut green grass, a small pavilion with a bench in the corner. There was an old oak tree which you walked to, hands grazing the swing tied to its branch. This place was your sanctuary, the only place where you could be truly alone. The private garden was meant for Calliope and you, your parents and the occasional gardener being the only other people who had seen it. Sitting down on the swing, fond memories of Calliope pushing you as you swung giggling swam in your mind. Your sister, your sweet, innocent sister. How could the fates have her marry him?</p><p>As you started to swing, your mind kept racing at the guards words. Were you to believe whatever they said? Or were you to trust your father, who would never knowingly send his daughter into the arms of a beast. This thought comforted you. Your father must have done ample research before choosing General Hux; there was no way he would have agreed if he suspected Hux was like that. Plus, the stories your guard had heard were from members of the Resistance, of course they would have nothing good to say about their enemy. The more you debated this idea, the more it made sense to you and you calmed considerably. While he was still far from what your sister deserved, you supposed he would do, as long as he stopped looking at you like that.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, please let me know what you thought of it in the comments, constructive criticism is appreciated.<br/>Calliope's dress- https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7W3vrnXsAAdaJX.jpg<br/>Reader's dress- https://baltic-grlk5lagedl.stackpathdns.com/production/baltic/images/1571506978079858-Dolce-Gabbana_Alta-Moda_Agrigento_2019_Runway-85-.JPG?w=802&amp;h=720&amp;fit=clip&amp;auto=%5B%22format%22%2C%20%22compress%22%5D&amp;cs=srgb&amp;crop=faces<br/>Reader's shoes- https://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3h8jwOMOa1qlq9poo1_r1_500.jpg<br/>Reader's circlet- (a mixture of the two-mostly looks like the gold one with the sapphire of the silver one) 1)   https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61QCiXxu%2BJL.jpg<br/>2)  https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c1/55/0d/c1550de86d2ad2adff6555ce42dcdeb6.jpg<br/>Calliope's circlet- https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fa/b9/fe/fab9fe3e0991afd5ec334165ea80b84b.jpg</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Smile and Wave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Heyy! Thank you so much for your comments and your interest in the story, I'm back with another quick chapter! The wedding is coming up and I'm so excited to write it! Links to the outfits will be in the bottom notes, enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After staying in the gardens for as long as you could, you had snuck into your room, dropping onto your bed and summoning Alyce, pretending to be sick and having her convey the message that you would eat in your room. Now you could see the pale moon rising, knowing it was late enough to finally leave your room without running into anyone. Having changed out of your attire, you were now in a black silk nightgown that reached your ankles. Putting on a pair of slippers and a black robe, you opened the door, peeking to see if any guard was on patrol.</p><p>When you saw the coast was clear, you stepped out into the dark hallway. Trying to make minimal noise, you made your way to Calliope’s room. Walking inside, you stepped past the boudoir and into Calliope’s bedroom. She was sitting up on her bed and when she heard the door open, she panicked for a second, calming considerably when she saw it was you. Getting onto the bed with her, you waited for her to reproach you for abandoning her, but she did not. Instead, she asked in a low voice, “What do you think of him?”</p><p>This question surprised you and you sat up straighter, fiddling with the lace hem of your gown for a second. Should you tell her what you had heard? Deciding that was not a good idea, you replied in a controlled tone, “I don’t mind him. He’s younger than I expected, and not hideous.”</p><p>You hesitated for a second before adding, “He stares a bit too much for my liking.”</p><p>“Oh, so you noticed.” Was all Calliope said.</p><p>“Of course I noticed, it was painfully obvious.”</p><p>“I don’t blame him. Look at you, it’s natural he found you pretty.” Calliope replied, turning to face you, a sad smile on her face which broke your heart.</p><p>“It’s not what I want. I want him to find you gorgeous, and nobody else. I swear Calliope, say the word and I’ll get a dagger and scar my face. I just want you to be happy.” You said earnestly, meaning every word you said.</p><p>You did not expect your sister to burst into tears, hugging you tightly and crying into your shoulder. Worried, you started to stroke her hair, shushing her before asking, “What’s wrong Calliope? Did he do something to you? I’ll kill him, I swear I will.”</p><p>She pulled away, shaking her head and sniffling as she spoke, “No, he did nothing. I showed him the palace and he was rather quiet. After the tour was over he escorted me to my room. He doesn’t seem like a bad person.”</p><p>This confused you and you asked, “If so, then what’s the problem?”</p><p>“That’s just it. There is no visible problem. If there was I could justify my lack of enthusiasm, I could pretend my behaviour was alright and not me being ungrateful.”</p><p>“What do you mean ungrateful Cal?”</p><p>“Of course it’s ungrateful. What else should I call it? Father and Mother took me in, raised me like they would have raised a legitimate child, never making me feel like I was an outsider, even after you were born. They even forgave me for the incident, as did you, when anyone else would have been harsh. They’ve changed my life and I can’t even bring myself to marry someone they chose for me. I am the most ungrateful person on the planet, if not the galaxy.”</p><p>“Calliope, first of all, that incident was not your fault. Nobody holds it against you. Second, it is okay to feel hesitant about the decision, you don’t know him that well and marriage is a big step. What we did for you was not some charitable move; it was the least we could do because you are family. You will always be family. And it does not mean that you are indebted to our parents and have to listen to every decision they make.” You explained, hoping Calliope would understand.</p><p>She nodded, wiping away her tears and you breathed a sigh of relief. Wanting to lighten her mood, you spoke, “The General is so young, I assume he must be in his late twenties. And his hair, I was so surprised at the colour!”</p><p>Calliope smiled softly and replied, “He’s thirty three. And I must admit the hair threw me off too.”</p><p>“But imagine, having children with red hair and caramel eyes. They would look so adorable.” You gushed, trying to keep the positive conversation flowing.</p><p>“You hate children (Y/N). There’s no need to entice me into marriage with such things.” Calliope reproached, raising an eyebrow at your words.</p><p>Rolling your eyes, you clarified, “I don’t hate children. Granted, I don’t particularly like them very much, but I do want them in the late future.”</p><p>Calliope nodded slowly, not believing a word you said and you scowled at her. “I will be with my tutors tomorrow all day, so I’m warning you already about leaving you alone. Day after as well. In fact, I think I’ll be free to interact with the General after the marriage.” You informed Calliope, getting out of her bed.</p><p>She nodded, not wanting to protest since she knew you were doing this for her. Sending her a small wave, you stepped back into the hallway. It was dark, the moon barely illuminating the vast space and you were glad you could navigate easily in the dark. As you passed by a large window, you glanced out into the garden and paused. It was empty and it was quiet. Seeing as you could not sleep anyways, you made your choice. Walking down the steps, you stepped into the garden. The night air was cold and crisp and you relished the feel against your skin. Removing your slippers so you could feel the grass against your feet, you shrugged off your upper robe, enjoying the breeze against your bare arms.</p><p>Armitage had been unable to sleep, despite being exhausted and the bed being comfortable. You had retreated into your room after lunch and he had to tour the palace with Calliope. She had been fairly timid, only speaking up to point out one feature or the other and he found himself getting distracted. Still, he had offered to escort her back to her room and she had agreed. His current opinion of her was that she would suffice as a wife. It made sense to have a timid wife who would provide him with an heir and a spare and then leave him alone. She was not hideous, she came from a good family and she was refined enough to introduce in his social circles. She ticked all the boxes of an ideal wife, and yet he was still somewhat hesitant to marry her and this irked him considerably. Any man would have been pleased with this match, but again, Armitage Hux was not just any man.  </p><p>Huffing, he sat up and threw off the covers. Getting off the bed, he stretched for a second. The balcony looked inviting, the pale moon glistening in the night sky. Stepping out, he immediately felt the cool air lap against his bare chest. The view of the forest looked much more intimidating in the night, reminding him of the woodlands on Starkiller base. Walking to the edge of the balcony, he was content admiring the trees when he saw something shift out the corner of his eye. Turning his attention downward, he saw a figure moving in the gardens. Curious as to who would be out at this time of night, he tried to discern the figure’s identity.</p><p>His eyes widened when the figure removed its robe, revealing an exquisitely feminine body. He almost gasped when he realised it was you, but years of military training and control came in handy. His eyes followed you as you walked through the gardens aimlessly, relishing the chance to look at you without reproach.</p><p>You had the distinct feeling that you were being watched, but you kept brushing it off. Nobody could be awake at this time of night; you had always walked through the castle without disturbance. Still, you could not shake away the feeling and so you picked up your robe, wearing your shoes and heading back inside. Walking straight to your room, you dropped onto your bed, falling into a fitful slumber and dreaming about eyes watching your every move.</p>
<hr/><p>You had spent two whole days avoiding the General, burying yourself in your studies and eating in your room, but you knew you could no longer do so. There were only three days left for the wedding and as much as you wanted to stay in bed, you knew you had a duty to fulfil. You had been visiting Calliope’s bedroom without fail each night, trying to discern her feelings toward the marriage. She confused you, her behaviour having changed rapidly since you had talked to her and convinced her that she did not owe your parents a debt. She seemed lighter, and last night she had asked you to forgive her for any misstep.</p><p>Assuming it was something she was saying before she got married off, you had brushed it away. Getting out of bed, you wore your robe and were debating on whether to have your bath scented with roses or lotus when you heard shouts. Immediately, you rushed outside where you saw guards marching in the direction of Calliope’s room. Heart freezing, you pushed past them, into her boudoir, prepared to see the worst. Confusion hit you when you saw her bedroom empty, your mother standing there ashen. She saw you approach and you noticed her eyes were full of tears. “Mother. Where is Calliope?” You demanded, worried for your sister’s life.</p><p>When she did not respond, you started to panic and look around the room for Calliope. Noticing a piece of paper on the floor, you picked it up and saw it was a letter, addressed to all of you. Recognising Calliope’s writing, you began to read. Once you reached the end, you were in tears, hands shaking due to its contents. The door burst open again and you saw your father march in. Overwhelmed, you tuned out whatever he was saying to you, feeling your heartbeat rise and fall rapidly. The world was spinning and you felt lightheaded. The last thing you saw was your father rushing towards you as you fell to the floor, eyes closing in preparation for an impact that never came.</p><p>You woke up to find yourself back in your bed, and for a moment you hoped it had all been a terrible dream. Once your mother stepped into the light, you sighed, knowing it had all been true. Your eyes started to fill up again and you watched as your mother spoke to Alyce in low tones before leaving. Alyce walked to you, helping you out the bed and leading you to your bathroom. You did not have the energy to protest as she stripped you, helping you into the bath and starting to scrub you gently. You ignored all this, hugging your knees close to you and trying to avoid thinking about what Calliope did, the truth hurt too much.</p><p>She helped you out the tub, drying you and helping you get dressed. You ignored her as she brushed your hair, pinning it up and put your shoes on for you. You would have stayed in your own bubble, but Alyce placed a hand on your shoulder and snapped you out of your reverie, whispering, “My lady, your crown. You must wear it yourself.”</p><p>Nodding, you opened the glass container on your dresser, picking it up with shaky hands and placing it on your head. You did not bother looking at your reflection, what did it matter? “Their Majesties want me to escort you to the council room.” Alyce said meekly and you nodded, allowing her to lead you out.</p><p>You could tell the palace was aflutter with panic, guards rushing in all directions and you tried to tune out the sound of their boots. Once you reached the council room, Alyce excused herself, stepping back and you tried to stand straight as the guards opened the doors for you. The walk to your parents seemed too overwhelming, the room full of people shouting. Your strength left you and you felt yourself sway, when someone caught your arm. “Your Highness, allow me.” You heard Ajax say and you nodded, letting him link his arm into yours.</p><p>He held you up and helped you walk past the advisors who had fallen quiet, towards your awaiting parents and you had never been more thankful for your guard. Once you were close enough, your father came up and took you from Ajax’s hold, sending a grateful nod to the young soldier. He bowed deeply before walking away and your father held your hand, helping you into a seat and clapping his hands for attention. The advisors that had been scattered throughout the room took their seats at the council table and you took a deep breath, waiting for the interrogation to start.</p><p>“Tell me what you read in the letter (Y/N).” Your father commanded.</p><p>“Calliope wrote it as an explanation for us. She wrote that she could not marry the General because she loved Alec. She wanted us to know that she would always see us as her family, but that she did not owe us her life. She’s run away with him.” You spoke, guilt rushing through your veins.</p><p>It was your fault. You had said those words to your sister; you had made her run away. Never could you have guessed that she was in love with the soft spoken tutor, but it made sense. They spent ample time together and you should have suspected something when Alec only insisted on teaching Calliope romantic poetry. Now it was too late. The council members were silent, waiting for your father to speak. You saw him in deep thought for a second before he stood up and said, “All of you leave, I must convey our decision to my daughter. As for Calliope, hunt her down.”</p><p>His tone sent shivers down your spine and you shook your head in protest, “Please, Father don’t. Please. I beg of you.”</p><p>He said nothing and you turned to your mother for support, but she sat ashen, not bothering to control her tears. Once the council had filtered out, your father turned to you and spoke, “Calliope has betrayed us. She has brought dishonour on our family name, on our planet and on our alliance with the First Order. This time is crucial and if we do not act wisely, we may end up losing whatever our ancestors worked to achieve. We have given the First Order our word, and we intend to keep it.”</p><p>Your father’s words confused you, what was he trying to say. He turned to you, his gaze piercing as he said, “My daughter, you will have to pull our planet out of this turmoil. You will have to marry the General.”</p><p>His words rang in your ears and you felt panic bubble inside you. Without thinking, you started to speak, “How can I marry him Father? He was supposed to marry my sister. If that is not odd enough, he is much older than I am. You are having a search party for Calliope; have her marry him once she is retrieved.”</p><p>You were aware of how selfish you sounded, but your father’s words had thrown you off completely. You looked at your father, hoping to see a crack in his stony expression, a sliver of mercy. Instead, he smiled at you in a way that made your insides churn with worry before replying, “That’s where you are mistaken daughter. We are not having Calliope searched so she can get married; we are having her searched so she can be punished. High treason is not a simple crime, it would warrant an execution but life imprisonment will do. As for her lover, we’ll have him hung in the middle of Adamant.”</p><p>Your mother’s shocked gasp let you know she had not been aware of your father’s intentions and she protested, “Radius no, she is our child. Please.”</p><p>“She <em>was</em> my daughter, one I recognised on an official capacity when she could have easily spent her life fighting for scraps. We even continued to let her stay with us after what her mother did since you both insisted that it was not her fault. Now she is nothing more than a traitor to her home.”</p><p>Your father’s tone unnerved you, never before had he sounded so cold and detached. You could tell from the look in his eye he meant what he said, and despite what Calliope did, you could not let that be her fate. “Father, please. Spare Calliope and let her go. I’ll marry him. For Solaris’ honour and my sister’s happiness.”</p><p>You watched your father’s expression shift, contemplating your offer when your mother began to plead, “Yes, Radius please. She’ll honour our word. Calliope must be spared, she is still our child. We raised her.”</p><p>Your father raised his hand, calling for silence and you sat there worried, heart beating erratically as tears filled your eyes, hoping he would see reason. “Fine. Calliope and her lover will be spared. (Y/N) you will be marrying General Hux on the 2<sup>nd</sup>. Check if you want anything in the ceremony altered, you are dismissed.”</p><p>Breathing a sigh of relief that you had saved Calliope, your heart sank when you realised you had condemned yourself. Getting up from your seat and walking outside, your mind started racing. You were to <em>marry</em> General Hux. <em>In less than three days. </em>There had to be some way you could get out of this. Maybe you could appeal to the General, convince him to reject the alliance. Surely Solaris would not be blamed for going back on their word if the General was the one to back out. Holding onto this sliver of hope, you gathered your skirt, not caring who saw as you ran through the hallway. You skidded to a stop outside the General’s room, catching your breath before knocking. Tapping your foot impatiently, you were about to burst in when the door opened.</p><p>Armitage was surprised to see you standing there, chest heaving and eyes flashing. He took in your appearance, biting back a groan at your dress. The plunge neckline stopped just before your bellybutton, displaying your cleavage and the swell of your breasts, your arms bare as usual. The dress did not have a slit this time, for the reason that the skirt material was almost completely sheer and if he looked long enough he could see the outline of your toned legs. Your hair was pinned away, and while he preferred it open, it left your décolletage and collar exposed. While you had looked beautiful in white, he decided you were absolutely <em>ravishing </em>in black. As pleased as he was to see you after two days of deprivation, he was confused as to why you were here. Once he noticed you tapping your foot impatiently, he stepped aside, allowing you to come in.</p><p>Did he always have to stare at you like a thirsty traveller seeing an oasis? Still, you tried to keep your expression inviting, not wanting to antagonise him. Once he stepped away from the door, you marched into the small boudoir and sat down on one of the couches, glancing back to see him watching you. His expression was neutral but you could make out an amused sparkle in his eyes. Ignoring it, you spoke, “Please take a seat, I have something imperative to discuss with you.”</p><p>He nodded, seating himself on the couch across yours and your eyes scanned his appearance. He was in his uniform still, and for a second you wondered if he was recycling the same one from his arrival, or if he owned multiple ones. Once you heard him clear his throat, you realised your mind had drifted off. Sitting up straight, making sure your pose resembled that of your mother when she spoke in council meetings, you started, “I must make you aware of the fact that my sister Calliope has decided to elope with our tutor. While I realise this is a breach of our alliance and the First Order has every right to be angry, my Father has told me I’ll be marrying you in her stead. I’m sure that is not what you want, and so I am here to ask you to refuse.”</p><p>When he did not respond, you assumed it was because of surprise at your revelations and you continued, “I know it must seem like a shock, but this time is imperative. We must take charge now, there’s barely time left before the wedding.”</p><p>You stood up, expecting him to follow you out, but when you turned, you saw him still seated on the couch, eyes more amused than before. This annoyed you and you said, “We don’t have much time, I know you are shocked but we must put a stop to this.”</p><p>“Actually, I don’t see why. Your parents already informed me of your sister’s actions as soon as you fainted. In fact, I was the one to suggest that you take your sister’s place.” He finally spoke, his tone almost joyful.</p><p>You gasped at his words, blinking rapidly and Armitage watched you, quite enjoying the show. Bless you; you had thought he did not know what had transpired. The fact that you had fainted upon hearing of your sister’s escape confirmed his suspicions, that you were as timid as she had been, and so he had felt no qualms at suggesting that you be his wife. You were easily the most attractive woman he had seen, you had the same qualities your sister possessed and you also seemed as delicate as her- your gasp at his words confirming his assumptions.</p><p>Your shock melted away into anger, and you were about to start giving the General a piece of your mind when the door opened abruptly. Turning, you saw one of the guards standing there looking like he had been running. If he looked surprised at seeing you in the General’s chambers, he did not show it. Bowing swiftly, he spoke, “Your Highness, General Hux, your presence is requested in the council room by His Majesty. Immediately.”</p><p>You wanted to groan in frustration but you controlled yourself, watching Hux get up from his seat and walk to the door. Stepping out, the two of you followed the guard in absolute silence. You were glowering, sneaking glances at the General, feeling like an utter fool for going to him and expecting him to call off the wedding, when he had been the one to suggest it. You hated being caught unaware and you realised now that you were stuck in this situation. The close proximity also made you notice how tall he was, you were taller than Calliope and you still barely reached up to his jaw. Once you both reached the council room, you walked in before Hux, seeing a few advisors in their seats, talking in low voices with your father, your mother nowhere to be seen.</p><p>Not bothering to look back and check whether Hux was following, you sat down in your seat. Hux took the seat across you and you pointedly stared at the table, not wanting to look at him. “Now that you both are here, we can discuss the terms of the marriage.” Your father spoke, and you looked up with curiosity.</p><p>Armitage’s attention was grabbed as well and he turned to your father, wanting to know what terms would be discussed, assuming they would have stayed the same as before. “Since (Y/N) is the crown princess, set to inherit the throne, there is a change in the marriage dynamic and subsequent terms. When she takes the throne, you will inherit the rank of the Royal Consort. While this does not provide you with any ruling authority, that can be changed on (Y/N)’s orders. As for children, you must be willing to rescind all rights to your firstborn, that child will be property of Solaris and the next in line to the throne. All other children are free to be raised as you see fit.”</p><p>You blinked at your father’s words and sent a glance towards the General. He was quiet, deep in his thoughts and you hoped the terms would feel unacceptable to him and he would refuse. Once you saw him move to speak, you tried to control your smile, awaiting the rejection. “How am I to be sure that we will have more than one child? I cannot allow myself to agree to this unless I am convinced that at least one of our children will be brought up in the way the First Order commands.”</p><p>His words angered you, and you felt uncomfortable about the discussion of children. How were you expected to procreate with this man when you were not even aware of his first name? You turned to your father, hoping he would somehow call this off, but instead he said, “I give you my word as the King of Solaris that my daughter will provide you with multiple offspring. Our word is sacred, we cannot break it.”</p><p>Your hands curled into fists at your sides, your nails digging into your palms as you saw the General nod, satisfied with your father’s promise. How you wished to get up and scream, run away like Calliope had, but you knew you could not. You cared too much about Solaris to ever turn your back on it, knowing you could give your life for your planet; a marriage was hardly a large sacrifice. Besides, you had to go through with it so your sister’s life would not be ruined. And so, you sat there unmoving, resigning yourself to fate. You watched the advisors bring forth the contract, the binding agreement that you both would comply with the rules set forth in this meeting. He signed first and you waited for the contact to be pushed towards you. Picking up the pen, you scanned the words on the document, killing the urge to tear it into a million pieces as you signed your name and your life away.</p><p>Once it was done, you stood up abruptly. Your father turned to you, a question in his eyes and you smiled as saccharinely as you could as you spoke, “Excuse me Father, General Hux. I have a few wedding details I must attend to.”</p><p>Your father nodded and you were about to leave when you heard the General speak, “You may call me Armitage.”</p><p>So that was his name, it suited him. As soon as you had that thought you pushed it away, anger coursing through you as you sent him a pursed smile before replying, “That would suggest a level of familiarity which we do not possess. Excuse me, General.”</p><p>You practically spat out his title, turning on your heel and storming out as Armitage watched you go with a surprised expression on his face. Had your timid personality melted away? He had been surprised at your glare, especially when he felt a small twinge of fear at the look in your eyes. This shocked him, were you not as meek as Calliope was? Hearing you snap at him was the final nail in the coffin and he turned to the king for an explanation. To his added shock, the king just sent him a sheepish smile before replying, “She’ll come around. Be glad you got off easily, her temper is usually much more destructive.”</p><p>He blinked once, then twice. <em>More destructive? </em>He had been wrong in assuming you were like your sister, and now he was to live with the consequences. There was a fire in your eyes, a ferocity he had rarely ever encountered and he found his fantasies of an impressionable wife shattering.</p>
<hr/><p>Just because you were stuck marrying <em>him</em>, it did not mean you had to compromise on your desires. And so you marched through the palace, Alyce and Tansy rushing to keep up behind you as you kept on listing orders, “-I want two times the roses I ordered for the day of the wedding, have the chefs add two more tiers to the cake. All the clothes I had ordered need to be shifted out of Calliope’s room into mine, and fetch the seamstress for me. I won’t be wearing Calliope’s dress. I’ll be in Mother’s alcove.”</p><p>They nodded before scampering off, not wanting to antagonise you and you made your way to the place you know your mother would have retreated to after today’s events. It was her sanctuary, where she would go to paint and be alone. Once you reached, you walked inside, not bothering to knock. You saw your mother standing in the middle of the room with her back to you, shoulders shaking slightly to let you know she was crying. Your exterior softened at this sight and you walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder and catching a glimpse of what she was crying at.</p><p>It was a painting she had made of you and Calliope when you were little. You had been learning how to walk, Calliope holding onto your hands and helping you balance. While seeing the painting invoked a feeling of affection, you also felt resentment towards your sister. She had left and caused you to be stuck in this situation. Still, you turned to your mother and sent her a comforting smile. “I raised her like my own. My heart breaks, it’s like I’ve lost both my children in a day.” She whispered brokenly and the anger you felt for Calliope flared, you mother did not deserve this heartbreak.</p><p>“You won’t lose me. I will not be going anywhere. As for Calliope, be glad she isn’t being hunted down at this very moment.” You spoke, trying to control the distaste in your tone, hoping your mother would see reason.</p><p>She still kept crying, only turning to face you when she heard you sniffle. She was shocked to see you crying as well and her motherly instincts took over, holding on to your hands and asking, “What’s wrong darling? Tell me please.”</p><p>“Mother, I need you to pull yourself together and help me through this. I know I’ll fall weak on my own and I need you to help me see this through. I’ve agreed to this with a heavy heart, for Calliope’s life and Solaris’ glory. I’ve given away my life for my planet and now I need you to be there for me.” You spoke, shaking with sobs.</p><p>Your mother wiped away your tears, nodding rapidly and pulling you close, rubbing your back to calm you down. This helped considerably and you stopped crying, wiping away your tears, just in time as you heard a knock on the door. “You may come in.” Your mother allowed, and you saw the seamstress walk in, bowing deeply.</p><p>“You summoned me Your Highness?”</p><p>“Yes, I need you to take my measurements. I’ll be needing the family gown to be altered to fit me in time for the wedding.” You spoke.</p><p>She nodded, walking to you and asking you to stand straight as she started to take your measurements. The gown you were talking about was like a family heirloom, worn by all future queens on their wedding day and you had always waited for the day you would get the chance to don the exquisite gown. You had never thought it would happen like this.</p><p>You caught your mother watching you with a small smile as you stood for your measurements and you attempted to return it. You needed to see the positive; you would still have your dream wedding, even if the groom was more like a nightmare.</p>
<hr/><p>You awoke to an infernal banging at your door and you sat up, groaning loudly and muttering a string of curses. After your measurements yesterday you had retreated into your room, wanting to be left alone, having dinner inside. Sleep had not come easy and you were cranky, and the individual at your door would not stop banging it like they wanted to break it down. Getting out of bed, you yelled, “Someone better have died to justify the racket you are causing!”</p><p>Pulling the door open, your eyes widened when you saw your father standing there. Stepping past you he replied, “Nobody’s died yet, but we have the whole day left. I want you dressed and ready in less than an hour, we’ll be officially announcing your marriage to the public and you must look your best.”</p><p>You blinked, nodding slowly and he sent you an affectionate smile, stepping closer to you. You took a step back, a bit wary of your father after yesterday’s events, as well as disappointed. You could tell this hurt him, but he just sighed before saying, “I am very proud of you and I always will be.”</p><p>You nodded at his words, sending him a small smile as he left the room. As soon as he had gone, Alyce rushed in, pushing you into the bath. You bathed and dried yourself as quick as you could, walking out and smiling despite yourself as you looked through your closet, selecting a gorgeous white ruffled gown with yellow accents and patterns. Alyce helped you put it on, making you sit in front of your dresser before starting to make your hair into an intricate bun. Once she was finished, you let a let a few strands fall and frame your face, wearing a thick gold choker with a diamond set it its centre, a gift for your sixteenth birthday. Wearing a bangle on each arm, you were about to put on your circlet when you heard the door open.</p><p>Turning, you saw your mother standing by the door, dressed in her finest. You gave her a little spin and she nodded proudly at your choice as you put on your heels. You were hungry but you pushed that thought aside, following your mother through the hallways. While you were not aware of the full details of the day, you assumed it would involve an official speech and announcement on the city square, followed by a tour of the city. Instead of visiting the dining hall first like you hoped, your mother led you out to the main entrance. You saw your father standing there waiting, the General at his side in his uniform and you resisted the urge to roll your eyes.</p><p>Walking to them, you did not bother acknowledging Hux, barely nodding at your father when he complimented you. Your indifferent expression soon disappeared when you saw the royal carriages pull up, a smile on your face; you only ever used them for special occasions to tour the city. “We’ll be in the first carriage; you two will be in the second with the hood up. Once you are formally introduced to the crowd after the announcement, the hood will be removed.” Your father said and you nodded, seeing Hux do the same out the corner of your eye.</p><p>As the carriages neared, you stepped closer and closer, eyes on the horses. You so badly wanted to pet them, but you knew your dress would get dirty. Later, you promised yourself, standing on the last step. Hux joined you and you waited for your parents to get into their carriage. Now you were stuck with a daunting task, how were you to get onto the carriage when your skirt was flared and you were wearing heels? You dared not bunch it up and Hux noticed your dilemma. Stepping past you, he got onto the carriage and you were about to scoff at his impatience when he turned, offering you a gloved hand.</p><p>While you did not want his help, you knew you needed it. Taking his hand, you got onto the carriage, taking your seat and avoiding looking at him. As the driver started to pull up the hood, you sighed, it was a perfect day and you wanted to spend it out in the open. The carriage started to move and you smoothed out your skirt, folding your hands over your lap and sitting up straight, despite the fact that nobody other than Hux would be able to see you. You hated the fact that he had offered to help and you hated what you were about to do next. “Thank you for helping me up.” You said stiffly, still looking away from him.</p><p>“You are welcome.”</p><p>Rolling your eyes at his response and tone, you started to hum slightly, wanting to pass the time. You checked to see if it was irritating Hux, but saw no reaction on his face. You hummed louder and you thought you saw his eyebrow twitch for a second, but he did not say a word. You hummed even louder, hoping you could annoy him into rejecting you, but he did not say a word, sitting through the carriage ride with clenched fists. Once the carriage skidded to a stop, you sat ready. You both were not required to get off as your father made his speech and you wished you had a mirror to see how you looked.</p><p>He started to speak and Hux turned to you confused before asking, “Won’t we get off?”</p><p>Shaking your head, you decided to explain the procedure to him, “Father will give his speech, and once he announces the wedding, the hood opens up and the crowd sees us. We smile and wave and make our way through the city and then head back.”</p><p>“Smile...and wave?” Hux repeated, his tone terse.</p><p>“If you are incapable of the former, then a non-murderous expression would suffice, the latter is non-negotiable.” You quipped, watching with satisfaction as the General scowled at your words.</p><p>He was about to snap back when you heard your father reach the portion of his speech were he would introduce the two of you. Without thinking, you placed a finger onto the General’s lips, silencing him effectively. As the hood started to rise slowly, you realised what you had done, eyes widening. Turning to face the General, you saw he was equally surprised at your actions and you quickly removed your finger, blinking rapidly and looking away. His lips had been soft, and you rubbed your finger harshly to stop it from tingling, plastering a smile on your face as the hood finally revealed you to the crowd.</p><p>They started to cheer and you waved at them, turning to see Hux obstinately immobile by your side. “Wave so they don’t hate you, because if they do they will assassinate you.” You muttered harshly in between smiles.</p><p>Your tone was enough to make the General stir and he finally raised his gloved hand at the crowd, causing them to cheer even louder. The carriage started to move slowly and you kept waving, genuinely smiling now. You loved seeing the crowd, gratefully accepting the bundles of flowers the people would extend to you. Some extended their children to you and you waved at them, pinching an occasional cheek. Most people you recognise by name and you tried to address as many of them as you could, the adrenaline and love you felt from the crowd making you ignore your hunger and the pain in your arm from all the waving.</p><p>You could see your parent’s carriage in front of you and you saw Hux looking at the city curiously. This made your chest puff with pride, in your opinion Adamant was the most beautiful city in the galaxy and you were glad Hux was admiring it. Once you turned away to look at the crowd again, Hux turned back to admire you. He had been watching you entranced, seeing the way you interacted with the crowd. You were beaming at them, and he could feel their love for you. Had anyone else been in this situation, waving at the crowd and speaking to them, Hux would have concluded that it was the best piece of acting he had seen, but because it was you, he just knew it was all genuine. He remembered to raise his hand at opportune moments, trying to make his face look calmly neutral.</p><p>After two hours of smiling and waving at the crowd, your face hurt. Thankfully, you could see the palace come into sight. Giving one last wave and smile to the crowd as the carriage turned, you leaned back in your seat and sighed. Your arm was sore now, the carriage was full of bouquets of flowers and you felt dizzy from the lack of food. You could barely see Hux through the flowers, not that you minded. After the whole ‘finger on lip’ fiasco, you were not sure you could make eye contact with him without blushing slightly. Once the carriage stopped in front of the palace and you saw your parent’s get off, Hux stood up first, getting off the carriage and turning. You did not expect him to help you after what you did, but he still extended his hand to you. Holding onto it, you got off the carriage. Signalling to a guard, you asked him to have someone take out all the flowers and place them in vases all over the palace. Letting go of Hux’s hand, you turned on your heel to go pet the horses when you felt yourself swoon. Immediately, Hux grabbed onto your arm before you could fall, holding you upright.</p><p>Your parents rushed to you, and you cracked an eye open to see their concerned expressions, not noticing that Hux was still holding you. “Is she alright? What happened?” Your father asked, but his voice sounded a bit distant.</p><p>“I think its exhaustion. When did she last eat?” You heard Hux say.</p><p>“Dinner.” You replied, blinking and trying to pull yourself together.</p><p>You heard your parents sigh before your mother said, “Come Armitage, let’s take her to the balcony. The fresh air will help.”</p><p>You could feel someone hold you up and lead you into the castle and up the stairs and when you turned; you saw it was the General. He was holding onto you. You tried to break free, but his grip on your arm tightened and he said in a low tone, “I wouldn’t. The moment I stop holding you, you’ll fall to the ground.”</p><p>Scowling at his words, you stopped resisting and let him help you up the steps and into the balcony. Helping you sit onto the couch, he stood up straight again and you leaned back against your seat, head pounding. “Have food sent up for (Y/N) immediately.” You heard your mother say.</p><p>You kept your eyes closed for a while, till you felt someone raise a glass to your lips. Taking a sip, you realised it was juice and you let the person help you drink, opening an eye to see it was your mother. Once you finished the juice, you felt better and you sat up straighter, seeing a tray full of cut fruits, bread and cheese in front of you. Surprisingly enough, General Hux was still there, standing by the railing and taking in the view. “I am feeling better Mother; I’ll eat on my own.” You insisted and she nodded.</p><p>She started to walk towards the door, Hux moving and about to follow her out when she turned and said, “Armitage, you stay with her. Get to know each other before the wedding.”</p><p>Before you could protest at your mother’s frankly <em>ridiculous </em>idea, she was already out the door, Hux already seated across you. Sitting up even straighter, conscious of his eyes on you and feeling uncomfortable at the fact that he held you, you reached out for the fruits, picking up a fork and starting to eat. At the occasional times you glanced up, you caught him staring at you. Whenever you mad eye contact, he did not even pretend to look in another direction and it annoyed you that he was so blatant in his staring. Once you were finished, you placed the plate away, starting to get up.</p><p>He was on his feet immediately and you rolled your eyes before saying, “I won’t fall, you don’t need to get up.”</p><p>“Even so. You have been swooning quite a lot since I arrived, so one can never be too careful.” He replied, expression neutral but a spark in his eyes.</p><p>“Don’t delude yourself.” You snapped back, walking to the railing and placing your hands on the ledge.</p><p>“Oh, so you aren’t excited about our marriage?” He quipped in reply, coming to stand next to you.</p><p>“I’m more surprised you’d want to marry someone who was playing with dolls when you turned eighteen.” You replied, and this effectively silenced him.</p><p>Smirking at the fact that he had no reply, you took a deep breath, closed your eyes and appreciated the wind hitting your face. Once you opened them again, you gazed upon the beauty of Solaris. You had agreed to this marriage because of your home and looking upon its beauty, you knew you would have agreed to marry a Hutt for your planet. Thankfully, the General was much more attractive than that. This thought made you snap your eyes open again and you tried not to scowl, why were you having these thoughts?</p><p>Stepping away from the balcony, you decided to go to your room. As you started to walk to the door, Hux followed you, clearly intending to escort you to your room. You wanted to protest, but one glance up at his face stopped you. Why was he so good looking? You bit your lip, turning away from him and keeping your eyes on the floor as you walked to your room. You did not turn to face him, stepping into your room and shutting the door behind you. You felt flushed and you walked into your bedroom, changing out of your dress and jewels into a nightgown and dropping onto the bed, falling asleep immediately.</p><p>When he held you, he could see you closely and notice how your lashes curled upwards, notice how light you were as he helped you up the stairs. The close proximity also had his nostrils evaded with the same heady scent that seemed to emit from you, one that clouded his judgement and his mind. And when you had bit your lip and looked away, he had to control his urge to growl. That had been the sexiest thing he had ever seen, none of his previous partner’s wiles held a candle to that action of yours. As he walked back to his room, he tried to compose himself. You were much more feisty than he had expected, your humming and quips irking him to no end. It was safe to say that he was frustrated, sexually and otherwise.</p>
<hr/><p>You were allowed to sleep in and you got out of bed in the late afternoon, after being allowed a sumptuous breakfast in bed. You stretched languorously, watching Alyce walk into your room, a few women following her. They handed you a short robe to change into before starting to pamper you. One woman massaged your shoulders while another applied a conditioning mask to your hair, a brightening solution to your face. Someone was filing your nails while another was massaging your feet and you let out a sigh of contentment. You could ignore the fact that you were about to get married to General Hux tomorrow, instead focusing on the pleasure and relaxation you felt.</p><p>You were pampered till the late evening, after which your mother came into your room, Alyce carrying a tray of food for you. Feeling incredibly refreshed and rejuvenated, your skin glowing, you smiled at your mother as you both sat in your boudoir. As you ate, your mother dismissed Alyce and this made you raise an eyebrow. “Darling, you get married tomorrow, and I wanted to talk to you about what happens after.”</p><p>“Mother please, do not mention anything about the wedding night, I’ll end up vomiting.” You choked out, already feeling sick.</p><p>“That is not what I was going to say. Armitage mentioned to us that he’ll need to formally introduce you as his wife to the First Order and soon. He asked us if he could take you with him aboard his ship for some time, and we agreed.”</p><p>“Why didn’t he ask me? I don’t want to be on some ship full of manipulated soldiers and pawns.” You retorted fuming, not believing that he did not mention this to you and annoyed that your parents agreed without asking you.</p><p>“Darling you have to go, there isn’t a choice.”</p><p>“When?” You huffed, crossing your arms across your chest and pouting.</p><p>“The day after the wedding.”</p><p>“That is much too soon Mother, no please.” You pleaded, eyes widening at the fact that you would have to leave so suddenly.</p><p>“It’s just a matter of weeks, and it is better to get the whole thing done with towards the beginning of your marriage.” Your mother responded diplomatically.</p><p>You continued to pout, refusing to respond to your mother, resigned to your fate. She sighed, getting up to leave when she remembered something and said, “They’re saying it’ll rain tonight. It was not in the forecast a few days ago, but it is now.”</p><p>“Like hell it will.” You scoffed, not believing it and watching your mother shake her head before walking out your room.</p><p>While you regretted snapping at her, you knew what she said was too incredulous to believe. Solarian’s believed that if it rained the night before a wedding, it was a good omen. Rain signified life, purity and fertility, a new beginning and so it was thought that rain before a wedding signified a happy and successful marriage. And so, considering the circumstances of your marriage with Hux, you would not be surprised if Solaris experienced its first ever drought.</p><p>Finishing your food, you called for Alyce and once she rushed in, you whispered into her ear. “Are you sure my lady?” She asked, eyes widening.</p><p>“I’m serious. Please Alyce. And be discreet.” You pleaded and she nodded, bowing before leaving.</p><p>You paced your room, waiting for her to come back and once she did, you thanked her, taking the cup out of her hands. Your nose crinkled at the bitter smell, but you clenched your jaw and started to drink the tea, finishing it in a few gulps. The bitter taste stayed in your mouth, but it was worth it. The tea would ensure that you would not get pregnant for at least a year and while you doubted you would let Hux touch you; an added precaution could do no harm.</p><p>Alyce left you alone with your thoughts and you started to panic slightly. You would be marrying a practical stranger tomorrow. Other than a few retorts from either side, you had not even talked to him properly. Were you expected to sleep with him? The thought made you shake with nerves. You had never been with a man before and while the General was someone you found yourself extremely attracted to, you did not want your first time to be out of duty. Walking out into your balcony, you noticed it was already dark, a gentle wind blowing. Suddenly, a droplet of water hit your face, then another and another, till it was raining thunderously. Despite yourself, you smiled. It seems like your mother had been right.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you all liked the chapter, comments and kudos are always appreciated!<br/>Reader's black dress- https://assets.vogue.com/photos/5d20ca718164ee000884c069/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/Dolce%26Gabbana_Alta%252520Moda_Agrigento_2019_Runway%252520(32).JPG<br/>Reader's announcement white/yellow dress- https://bumblethenbloom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/dgam-6.jpg<br/>Anyways, see you next update lovelies!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Wedding and a Compliment</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone, I'm back! The wedding was something I was looking forward to writing, I wanted to make it sentimental and sweet, and hopefully I've succeeded. The wedding vows and blessing are traditional Irish ones, I loved them so much I just had to add them. Thank you so much for the kudos and comments, I hope you enjoy the chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As much as you had wanted to go out into the rain, you knew you had a busy day tomorrow and so you stepped back into your room, keeping one door of your balcony open. Lying down on the bed, you watched the night sky light up with flashes of thunder, a bit unnerved by how heavily it was raining. Dismissing the notion of omens was not easy for you, especially since you had been a staunch believer of them. But, accepting them at this time would mean accepting the fact that your marriage to General Hux might be a good one. Pushing away this thought, you turned over and fell asleep.</p><p>You woke up when you felt someone stroke your hair gently, eyes snapping open to see your mother smiling at you. Maker, today was the day. You turned over in your bed, groaning and hiding under your covers, hoping you could will all of this into being a dream. Your delusion was shattered almost immediately when you heard your mother say, “(Y/N) get out of bed before I have to pull off the covers.”</p><p>Huffing, you sat up and got out of bed, starting to take deep breaths to calm your nerves. Your mother watched you, a bit amused before speaking, “It rained all night darling, I don’t see why you are still so nervous. Didn’t you have a nice talk with him yesterday?”</p><p>You just blinked stupidly at your mother’s words, feeling extremely out of your element. You could tell it was still early, the wedding would start in the late afternoon, extending to at least midnight. Your mother could see you were still panicking, thinking for a moment before suggesting, “I know it’s against procedure, but would you prefer getting your blessing right now instead of right before the ceremony? It might help your nerves.”</p><p>You nodded rapidly, and your mother smiled, handing you a robe to wear over your nightgown before walking out the room. You followed her out, seeing Alyce in the hallway. “Alyce, draw (Y/N) a bath, we’ll be back soon. Have the seamstress send in her dress.” Your mother ordered and Alyce nodded, bowing deeply before disappearing.</p><p>You followed your mother quietly through the empty halls, most of the servants and guards busy with last minute preparations, their duties and shifts relocated for the wedding. Walking out into the gardens, you walked down the familiar path, seeing the pavilion appear in front of you. “You’ll go in alone, I’ll wait outside.” You heard your mother say and you nodded.</p><p>Stepping forward, you opened the heavy door and walked inside, shutting it behind you. Inside it was cold and dark, but you felt a strange sense of comfort. You could see the marble graves of your ancestors, their final resting place and the crypt gave you an odd sense of calm. Walking forward, you bent down on your knees, hands folded together like you were about to plea, which you somewhat were. You started to pray, asking your ancestors to bless you and your union, to provide you with their wisdom and strength, to help you bring glory to Solaris.</p><p>As you prayed, you felt considerably light-hearted. You waited for a moment after your prayer, for a sign from your ancestors. Just as you felt nothing was going to happen and you started to stand up dejected, a cold wind blew past you, stroking your cheek and you smiled. They had heard you, you had been blessed.</p><p>Walking back outside, you saw your mother waiting for you. Once she saw your smile, she sighed in relief. Walking back inside, you stepped with much more confidence. You were still nervous, Hux was still a stranger, but you had the blessing of your ancestors and you knew they would provide you with wisdom and clarity. “Start getting ready, I’ll join you once I’m prepared.” Your mother said and you nodded, parting ways in the hall.</p><p>Walking into your chambers, you saw Alyce waiting for you with a large smile. “My lady, you are glowing.” She said and you smiled, shrugging away her compliment.</p><p>Carefully getting into the bath, you mulled in the warm water for a while, getting out before your skin would start to wrinkle. Drying yourself and wearing a robe, you stepped out and stretched slightly. Alyce entered your bedroom, holding your undergarments which she laid out onto the bed before stepping back into your boudoir. You got up to inspect them, brows furrowing when you realised how provocative the items look. It was not like your previous garments had ever been prudish, but these looked deliberately insinuating.  “Alyce, are you sure these are it?” You called out.</p><p>“Yes my lady, Her Majesty was the one who had these sent.” You heard her reply and you grimaced awkwardly.</p><p>Shrugging, you slipped on the lacy panties, lacing up the strapless bra and wearing your robe on top again. Taking a seat at your dresser, you pinned back your hair before starting to do your makeup. Alyce entered your bedroom again, starting to fan your hair so it would dry faster while you worked on your face, occasionally sipping the juice Alyce had so thoughtfully brought you so that you would not faint. You did not cake on too much, just enough to accentuate and highlight your natural beauty. You were just about finished when the door opened and you heard your mother call out to you. Stepping away from the dresser, you saw your mother in the boudoir, with the seamstress who was holding a large package. Your mother looked lovely, wearing a silver gown with deep sapphire patterns all over it, her crown sparking and her eyes shining. Smiling at them, you watched as the seamstress unpacked the dress, gasping slightly when you saw it.</p><p>It was absolutely perfect and you thanked the seamstress. Bowing, she exited the room and you took your robe off, Alyce and your mother carefully picking up the dress and slipping it over you. Alyce started to tie the laces of its corset and your mother stepped away to admire you. You smoothed out the skirt, glancing upwards to see your mother’s eyes filled with tears. “You look perfect.” She gushed.</p><p>Wanting to see for yourself, you walked to the floor length mirror and you let out a surprised breath. The strapless dress pushed up your décolletage, the corset making your waist look even smaller while the tulle skirt was enormous, and the train long. The dress was not a pure white, having more of a champagne tone with intricate embroidery and jewels all over it. You loved it. Your hair was almost dry and you turned to your mother and asked, “How should I have my hair styled?”</p><p>“Leave it open darling. You won’t be wearing your crown today, you’ll be wearing this.” She replied, picking up a small box you had not noticed resting on your couch.</p><p>Stepping closer to you, she opened it and you let out a small laugh, it was the headdress she had worn for her own wedding. It had belonged to your mother’s mother, passed down for brides to wear on their wedding day and it was gorgeous. It was a circlet with white jewels, chains hanging off the sides and linking to the back. She placed it on your head and you saw how the design made it look like you had platinum jewelled strands in your hair. Fixing your hair, your mother signalled to Alyce, who was not hiding her happy tears as she brought forth the bejewelled veil. Your mother pinned it to the back of your head and you noticed how long it was, even longer than the dress’s train.</p><p>Turning to your mother, you sent her a large smile and she kissed the top of your head before whispering, “I am so proud of you my darling.”</p><p>You heard a loud sniffle, turning to see Alyce wiping away her tears. Smiling at her, you extended your arms, pulling her in for a hug which she returned. “Come now, don’t cry Alyce, you’ll make me cry too.” You said gently as you pulled away from her.</p><p>She nodded rapidly and you whispered, “Go on, get ready now.”</p><p>Excusing herself and wiping away her tears, she exited your room and you slipped on a pair of short heels. You heard a knock on the door and frowned, confused that Alyce was back immediately. The door opened and you turned to see your father enter, dressed up in his full regalia. He sighed when he saw you and you panicked for a moment, asking in a small voice, “How do I look Father?”</p><p>His face broke out into the largest smile and he replied, “Like the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. My daughter has grown up so quickly.”</p><p>His words made you tear up and he stepped closer, a case in his hands. Your mother joined him, the two of them now in front of you. They smiled at you and you smiled back. “We had this made for you. A wedding present of sorts.” Your father spoke, opening up the box.</p><p>Inside was a diamond necklace, a large teardrop sapphire in the middle. The diamonds were shaped like flowers and as your mother held it up, you saw the clasp had a delicate chain from which a smaller sapphire hung. Your mother helped you put it on and you hugged your father, thanking him softly. “Come now, the ceremony is about to begin.” Your father said, his tone more serious now and you nodded.</p><p>Your parents stepped out of your room and you followed them, catching Ajax’s eyes as he waited to escort you. He bowed his head, sending you a small smile and saying, “Your Highness, you look ethereal.”</p><p>You sent him a large smile, everyone’s love dissipating your nerves as you walked with your parents towards the chapel. Once you reached the door, your mother slipped away to head inside first while you waited with your father. You knew the officiator was already there, the guests waiting for you. Hux was also waiting at the end of the aisle, and you felt your heartbeat quicken again. Your father noticed how short your breaths were, kissing you on top of your head and saying, “I believe in you (Y/N). You have always been the perfect daughter, and I consider myself lucky to be your father. Don’t worry, relish today.”</p><p>His tone was gentle and it comforted you. Nodding, you calmed considerably. Linking your arm into his and standing prepared, you waited for the guard on the other side of the door to tap, signalling to you that it was time to walk down the aisle. Doubts were racing through your mind but you knew you had taken this decision for Solaris, and this gave you strength. You heard the knock, grip on your father’s arm tightening as you whispered, “Don’t let me fall.”</p><p>“Never.”</p><p>Smiling, you raised your head high as the doors opened.</p>
<hr/><p>The day before the wedding had been calmer than Armitage had expected. He had been provided his meals in his room, the royal family having a masseuse sent to him. At first he had refused, but then allowed the woman to ease the tension in his muscles. By evening, he felt more relaxed than he probably had his whole life, pleased that Captain Phasma had confirmed her presence at the wedding. The surprise had come when the queen had knocked on his door after supper. Letting her inside, he watched as she took a seat on his couch, sending him a sad smile.</p><p>“Is something wrong Your Majesty?”</p><p>“You can call me Mother if you want. Nothing’s wrong Armitage, I just wished to speak with you about tomorrow.” She said and he nodded, taking a seat across her.</p><p>“I ask you to listen with an open mind. You’ll be marrying my daughter tomorrow, and while the circumstances aren’t what we all expected, we cannot fight with fate. I know my daughter, she may seem petulant and almost childish at times, cold and harsh even. But she has a wonderful heart and I know if you both give each other a chance, you will find happiness in one another. She’s young, and so I come before you as a mother today, not as a queen and ask you that you take care of her.”</p><p>He took in the queen’s words, nodding dutifully at what she said. She stood up, smiling at him gratefully and leaving the room. Armitage stood confused, why had he so easily agreed to her words? The queen’s smile, her gentle tone and the worry in her eyes reminded him of his own mother, and he had been swayed from nostalgia. Shaking his head, he walked into his bedroom, noticing the dark clouds in the sky. It was going to rain. He lingered by the balcony for a while, half hoping he would see you in the gardens again but once it started to pour, he knew you would not come out. Retreating back to his room, he fell asleep easily.</p><p>He was woken up by the knocks on his door, opening it to see Will standing there nervously. Nodding at the young boy, he shut the door and took a quick shower. Stepping out, he wore his full First Order uniform, including the greatcoat and cap, his medals shining. He gelled his hair, making sure it was impeccable before he heard a knock on the door again.</p><p>It was Cygnus this time and the ambassador let him out towards the chapel, explaining the process. Thankfully, there were no overly elaborate vows to recite, just a few small couplets that he would have to repeat after the officiator. Cygnus led him past the main door to the chapel, to a shorter route that would make Armitage come out right next to the platform where he was expected to stand. Nodding at Cygnus, he pushed the door open and entered the chapel.</p><p>Stepping onto the platform and sending the officiator a curt nod, he turned around to take in the sight of the chapel, eyes widening at the decor. There were white roses as far as the eye could see; the sheer amount of flowers making it look like it had been snowing inside the chapel. The structure itself was beautiful, high arched ceilings and stained glass windows, the dark pews filled with impeccably dressed guests. Seeing the elaborate decorations make Armitage feel like he was marrying up once again, clearly money was not an object for his in-laws. His eyes searched for a familiar face, finally catching sight of Phasma seated in one of the front rows. She looked out of place, in her uniform, helmet removed. Once he caught her eye, she sent him a nod, which he returned before standing up straight again.</p><p>He saw the queen enter the chapel, smiling graciously at the guests that stood up to greet her. She made her way to the platform, standing to its side and sending Armitage a smile. Being unable to help it, he sent a quick smile to the queen, surprising himself. Before he could linger too much on his action, he heard soft music start to play, a hush falling over the room and he stood up straighter, his eyes on the wooden doors at the end of the hall. The doors opened slowly and you slowly entered with your father. As soon as you came into sight, a collective gasp reverberated throughout the hall. Armitage saw you walking towards him, a soft ‘oh’ escaping his lips as he took you in. You looked like a star, glittering splendidly as you walked to him. The dress was just on the edge of being too fancy, but you carried it well, not letting it overpower you. He kept blinking rapidly as you came closer, not believing his eyes. He knew you were beautiful, everyone knew it, but today you looked like a goddess. The smile on your face was entrancing and when you finally looked at him, he felt his heart freeze.</p><p>The moment the doors open, you caught sight of Hux at the end of the aisle. You should have felt more nervous, but seeing him standing there, looking as serious as ever in full First Order regalia, you felt oddly calm. As you stepped into the chapel, you smiled at how wonderfully everything had been decorated, the guests gasping when they saw you. You smiled at the people you recognised, feeling confident and beautiful as you walked. This was your dream wedding, everything was perfect and even if the groom was not your choice, you were still happy. As you stepped closer to Hux, you noticed how handsome he looked, his face still neutral as always but you looked into his eyes and thought you saw a spark. You could see your mother crying and you finally reached the end of the long aisle.</p><p>Letting go of your father, you kissed his cheek before stepping onto the platform, turning so you faced Hux. The officiator greeted you softly but you ignored him, looking into Hux’s eyes and noticing how deep they actually were. They seemed less like frozen lakes now, reminding you more of the ocean in the low tide. Your father stood behind Hux, off the platform and he sent you a small smile. The officiator started to speak, welcoming the guests and thanking them for being part of the ceremony. He officiator talked about love, trust and loyalty, despite the fact that you and Hux possessed none of these qualities for each other. Finally, it was time for the vows and then the exchange of rings.</p><p>“These vows are a testament to their decision to bind themselves to the other. Repeat after me, I promise to love thee wholly and completely without restraint, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again. I shall not seek to change thee in any way. I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people, and thy ways as I respect myself.”</p><p>You knew the vows by heart and you took a deep breath, you and Hux speaking at the same time, your voices moulding as you repeated the words. Once you were done, your mother stepped forward, as did your father, each holding a small pillow upon which a ring rested as they spoke, “You are the star of each night, you are the brightness of every morning. You are the story of each guest, you are the report of every land. No evil shall befall you, on hill nor bank, in field or valley, on mountain or in glen. Neither above, nor below, neither in sea, nor on shore, in skies above, nor in the depths. You are the kernel of my heart, you are the face of my sun. You are the harp of my music, you are the crown of my company.”</p><p>Their blessing made you tear up and they presented the rings. You took the one your mother held out first, finally realising whose rings they had been, a single tear escaping your eye. Hux extended his hand and you saw it was ungloved. You took it, realising this was probably the first time you were making deliberate skin to skin contact with him and you marvelled at how gentle they were, despite being much larger than yours. You slipped your grandfather’s ring onto his finger, watching it glisten in the light.</p><p>Armitage heard the blessing your parents gave and saw how you reacted to it. It had been moving and he had been affected by it too, but he made sure his expression remained stoic. You were in front of him, looking so beautiful and once you saw the rings, he saw a tear leak out of your eye. You picked it up and looked up at him expectantly and he extended his hand to you. You took it and he almost gasped at how cold your hands were, your touch feather light as you slipped the ring onto his finger. When he saw it, his eyes widened. The platinum band was barely visible, the pattern of diamond, then sapphire and then diamond almost overpowering the metal. The ring felt weighty against his finger and he saw how it sparkled in the light. He turned to the king, picking up the ring on the pillow and his eyes almost popped out of his head. He thought his ring had been excessive, but it seemed plain compared to the one he was holding. This ring was enormous, the band was again platinum and instead of one centre stone, there were sixteen small sapphires, forming a flower, surrounded by smaller diamonds. He took your hand and slipped it onto you, watching how it looked like a small mountain on your finger.</p><p>You smiled as Armitage put your grandmother’s ring on you, sparkling so brilliantly one could mistake it for a small star on your finger. Now that the rings were exchanged, it was time for the final aspect, the kiss. Your stomach fluttered nervously, you were supposed to kiss Hux. You waited for the officiator to say the words, taking a deep breath as he started, “These rings have binded the two. Now, a kiss to seal the contract.”</p><p>You looked up at Hux as he stepped closer, eyes wide as he started to lean down. You stepped forward slightly and felt his lips on yours, eyes closing automatically at the contact. He lingered for a second before pulling away and as the crowd cheered, you felt yourself wanting more.</p><p>When the officiator mentioned the kiss, Armitage noticed the twinge of fear and nervousness in your eyes. Still, you did not say a word and as he stepped forward, you looked up at him with the biggest doe eyes he had ever seen. This look stabbed at his heart and he leaned down, noticing you step forward almost imperceptibly as his lips found yours. Your lips were incredibly soft and as much as he found himself wanting to kiss you, he stepped away after a second, the faint taste of strawberries lingering on his lips. The crowd started to cheer and now Armitage Hux was a married man.</p><p>Now that the whole ‘getting married’ aspect was over, you found yourself feeling much calmer. You looked up at Hux; he was now your husband. The word seemed foreign, but your nervousness had mostly vanished. You were married and now it was time for you to enjoy your wedding day. The guests started to filter out, heading to the ballroom and you waited for everyone to leave. Your mother walked up to you, kissing your head and to your surprise, kissing Hux’s as well before saying, “Congratulations to the both of you. May you prosper.”</p><p>With that, your mother stepped away, linking her arm with your father as they started to walk out. Guards came up to the platform, ushering Hux and you towards the side, through the hallway and to the ballroom door. You both did not say a word to each other, the guards leaving once you both reached the door. As you stood waiting for your cue, you could feel Hux’s eyes on you, but for once, you did not seem to mind as much. As you heard the knock again, you linked your arm into his, looking straight ahead as the doors opened. You both walked in together, your first entry as a couple and the guests all clapped. The ballroom was packed, multiple tables set up to accommodate the guests, but there was ample room for the dancing that would take place later.</p><p>You both walked to the head table, smiling at your awaiting parents. Once you reached your seats, you let go of Hux’s arm, sitting down and sighing in relief. Hux took a seat next to you and guests started to come up to congratulate you. You smiled graciously at all of them, thanking them for attending. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw an oddly armoured individual approach your table. Hux got up to greet the individual, who you saw was a tall woman with short cropped hair. They spoke in low tones before walking towards you.</p><p>You stood up as they neared, looking at Hux curiously. “Meet Captain Phasma of the First Order, an esteemed colleague of mine.” You heard him say and you turned to the woman.</p><p>Smiling at her, you spoke, “It’s wonderful to meet you Captain Phasma, thank you for being an official witness to our wedding.”</p><p>She looked momentarily surprised before she replied, “Thank you. Congratulations, I must take my leave.”</p><p>“Do stay on for dinner at least.” You suggested.</p><p>She shook her head no, nodding at you curtly before sending Hux a knowing look and marching away. You returned to your seat as the food started to get served. Hux came and sat down next to you and you both ate quietly. There were multiple courses but you ate sparingly. It was getting darker now and once you both were done eating, the wedding cake was carried in. It had five tiers, and you smiled, cutting the first slice. Stepping away, you were about to go sit down at the table again when you heard music.</p><p>Freezing in your place, you realised it was time for your dance with Hux. You turned to face him and to your surprise he stepped forward, taking your hand and leading you to the middle of the empty dance floor. Turning so you faced each other, you let him take charge. One hand clasped his while the other rested on his shoulder, his hand finding your waist and you inhaled sharply. You both started to sway and you realised Hux was an excellent, albeit stiff, dancer. You did not look at him, instead admiring your surroundings and the guests, enjoying the moment.</p><p>You wished Calliope was here, but she had made her choice. Once the dance ended, you both stepped away from each other, other couples filtering onto the dance floor. You saw your father head towards you and you smiled, taking his hands and starting to dance with him, moving more freely than you did with Hux. As you twirled, you noticed him dancing with your mother, and this made you smile. Your father dipped you low, then lifted you up, spinning you round and you started to laugh. He put you down again and you felt a bit dizzy, but elated. The whole event had gone much better than you expected.</p><p>Armitage retreated to the side as you stayed on. He watched you dance with your father, your laughter pealing through the ballroom. You danced with a man who looked like he would drop dead in a second, Cygnus informing him that the man was your tutor. You then danced with Ajax, smiling at his clumsy movements and as the dance finished, sending him off in the direction of Alyce. Armitage kept watching you, surprised at how overjoyed you were throughout the whole event, almost glowing with elation. Were you really that pleased being married to him?</p><p>It was getting late and he saw you standing in the middle of the dance floor, without a partner. Your eyes met his and he wondered for a moment if you expected him to dance with you again. The first time had been an obligation, you had to know that. And yet, he found himself stepping forward, only for you to walk off the dance floor and stand to the side, smiling as you observed the guests. As the guests started to disperse, he realised it was now probably time for the two of you to retire. His eyes found yours again and he subtly gestured to the door, surprised to see you nod and start to walk. Maybe you were not as difficult as everyone said you were.</p><p>You were standing to the side, watching everyone dance, trying to ignore the time and how tired you felt. You had been on your feet for a while now, the shoes were starting to hurt and the dress was heavy. You caught Hux’s eye and he gestured to the door and you nodded immediately, wanting to rest. Only when you turned and started to walk towards the exit did you realise what this entailed. He was probably hinting towards retiring for your wedding night and this made you panic. You stepped out into the hall, hoping the guests did not notice your exit. Hux joined you and you both started walking towards your chambers. You would have been content to walk in silence but you heard Hux clear his throat. Turning to face him, you raised an eyebrow as he said in a low tone, “You look sufficient.”</p><p>His words made you pause for a second, was he really complimenting you, even if he used the word sufficient? “Thank you. Your uniform is dapper.” You replied, not wanting to outright compliment Hux, choosing to comment on his attire instead.</p><p>He nodded curtly at your words and you both continued to walk through the hallway until you reached your chambers. Walking inside, you stepped past the boudoir and into the bathroom to change, while Armitage took the opportunity to take in your room. It was enormous, the furniture ornate and spacious. Stepping past the boudoir into the bedroom, he saw how inviting your large bed looked. Your balcony was almost twice the size his was, a window open to let in the night’s chill. He could hear you shifting in the bathroom, deciding to undress. Taking off his greatcoat and cap, he removed his boots and blazer, folding them neatly into a pile and placing them on a chair in the corner of your room. Just as he was about to finish unbuttoning his shirt, you stepped out of the bathroom in just a black silk nightgown.</p><p>You had been changing inside the bathroom, momentarily forgetting Hux was outside waiting for you. You removed all your jewellery, carefully placing it on the counter and folding away your dress and veil, washing your face to remove the makeup, sighing in relief as you took off your heels. Stepping into your nightgown, you were humming to yourself contentedly. Walking back into your bedroom, you saw Hux halfway in the process of unbuttoning his shirt and you inhaled sharply in surprise.</p><p>He looked up at you, hands moving away from his shirt as he started to walk towards you. Stepping back, you asked, “What do you think you are doing?”</p><p>As he tried to take charge, he heard you question his actions. Of course, you had no idea what was about to happen, you must have never been informed about sex, like many young females of royal families. This would explain the nervousness in your eyes, the panic when he kissed you and he explained, “It’s something that happens between a husband and-”</p><p>Eyes widening when you realised where the conversation was headed, you cut him off scoffing, “You don’t seriously expect me to have sex with you.”</p><p>He blinked at your words, so you did know what sex was. Then why were you hesitating? You had nodded when he signalled to you in the ballroom. “We are married.” He stated almost dumbly, not understanding what was happening.</p><p>“Yes and? We are also strangers, so don’t get any ideas.” You snapped.</p><p>“Are you refusing me? I command eighty two thousand people on my ship and nobody has ever disobeyed me before.” He thundered, not believing you were rejecting him.</p><p>“Look around General; we aren’t on your ship. We are on my planet and if you try anything, I’ll scream and say you attempted to kill me.” You replied, taking pleasure in the fact that he looked extremely annoyed but a bit sad that your tender moment from the hallway was all but forgotten.</p><p>Growling, he stepped forward and you felt a twinge of fear as you backed away, until you felt the wall behind you. He kept coming closer, until you both were inches apart. Your heart was beating out of your chest and you knew if he took one more step forward, your bodies would be touching. Now that he was close to you, you saw how pale and muscular his chest actually was. Looking up at him, you saw him breathing heavily, his pupils dilated and expression harsh. You met his gaze as he spoke, “I’m used to getting what I want.”</p><p>“Are you going to force yourself on me?” You asked, searching for the answer in his eyes.</p><p>He hesitated for a moment, looking into your doe eyes, sighing deeply and stepping away from you. You exhaled slowly, watching him button up his shirt again. “I won’t touch you unless you want me to. And believe me, you will want to.” He said, his tone still a bit dark and it made you shiver.</p><p>Still, you tried to keep the waver out of your voice as you replied, “Highly unlikely.”</p><p>He caught your eyes, gaze steady as he said, “We’ll see.”</p><p>The absolute conviction and belief in his eyes made your stomach turn, and you desperately turned away, searching for something to distract yourself with. Your eyes landed on the bags in the corner of your room, knowing that your mother had asked Tansy to pack away your things for your visit. You knew she had put away all your sleepwear, undergarments and dresses for daily wear. All that was left was your jewellery and some fancy gowns. Turning your back on Hux, you opened your closet, starting to sift through the gowns and pick out a few you liked. “What are you doing?” You heard Hux say behind you, his tone full of annoyance.</p><p>“Packing for the trip you did not ask me about. I was deeply annoyed by that. The next time you have to take me somewhere, talk to me about it and not my parents.” You responded, not bothering to turn as you spoke.</p><p>He did not reply but you heard an angry huff, rolling your eyes at his reaction before realising you were not sure of the itinerary for the trip, and thus unsure of what to pack.</p><p>“Actually, could you tell me how many events I’ll be expected to attend during the trip?” You asked.</p><p>“A few, including your official introduction to the troops as my wife.” You heard him say after a few moments of silence, Hux not realising you intended to wear your dresses aboard the Finalizer.</p><p>You chose four gowns, just to be sure. Walking to the bags, you folded away your gowns before sifting through the drawers in your dresser, removing a few jewellery boxes and packing those away too. Now that your work was done, you turned to see Hux leaning against the wall, arms crossed as he watched you. Ignoring his looks, you walked to your bed, yawning and about to get in when you saw him walk towards it too. “You can’t sleep here.” You protested rapidly.</p><p>“Where do you expect me to go then?” He snapped, clearly annoyed at the way you were behaving.</p><p>“The boudoir has multiple couches.” You offered.</p><p>You saw him take a deep breath, preparing yourself for a berating but he just took a pillow from your bed, not saying a word. You watched him walk out, closing the door behind him and as you got into bed, you somewhat regretted your decision. While you were uncomfortable with the prospect of sharing a bed with him, you did not feel it right to have him sleep on the couch. Still, you pushed away your guilt, wrapping yourself in the soft covers and drifting off to sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hopefully y'all liked the chapter!! Let me know what you thought in the comments below!<br/>Reader's wedding dress- https://www.harpersbazaararabia.com/public/images/2019/10/19/jlo-wears-zuhair-murad-wedding-dress.jpg<br/>Reader's headpiece- https://s3.weddbook.me/t1/2/5/1/2518552/elven-fairy-wedding-crown-circlet-tiara-arwen-galadriel-opal-moonstone-butterfly-medieval-renaissance-jewel-elf-headdress-made-to-order.jpg<br/>Reader's wedding present necklace- https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5f/ac/83/5fac832de7c73cc87fbb0e5567e20541.jpg<br/>Hux's ring- https://sep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-98699804673777_2267_3044163410<br/>Reader's ring- https://sc01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1TqEzVHvpK1RjSZFqq6AXUVXav.jpg</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Space Travels and Disloyal Pets</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone! I am sorry for the delay in the update, I was not feeling well. I am much better now, rejuvenated by all your lovely comments! Thank you so much for reading the story, leaving kudos and comments, it makes my day!<br/>Things are getting a bit steamy between Hux and the reader ;)<br/>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As he lay on your couch, staring up at the ceiling, Armitage pondered over his strange behaviour. You had been disrespectful, refusing intimacy and then talking back to him. The final nail in the coffin was when you did not let him sleep in your bed. He had felt his anger rising, he could have easily started to shout, knowing you would have eventually relented. But then, your mother’s words rang in his ears. She had asked him to be patient, that despite everything you were still very young. And so he had stayed quiet, letting you have this small victory and retiring to your boudoir. He was not uncomfortable; the couches were softer than his own bed back on the Finalizer. It was the principle of it all that irked him, you should not have been so churlish and he should not have been so lenient. And yet, he would feel all his anger dissipate when you looked up at him with those wide doe eyes. <em>They would be the death of him.</em> Deciding not to dwell on this particularly worrying thought, he turned over and shut his eyes.</p><p>He was up early, used to his routine aboard the Finalizer, sitting up and stretching to ease the tension in his back. Walking to the door of your bedroom, he waited for a second. Once he heard no sound, confirming his suspicions that you were asleep, he opened the door and stepped inside. The room was still dark and he could see a lump underneath the covers, knowing it was you. Walking to your bathroom, he stepped inside and was taken aback by its size. Avoiding all your things, he started to wash his face thoroughly. He needed to shower, but did not have a change of clothes.</p><p>Stepping back out, he was about to locate Will and have him deliver a fresh uniform when he saw you shift. The covers fell away as you turned over and Armitage found himself walking towards you. Your eyelashes framed your cheekbones, hair splayed over the pillow as your chest rose and fell gently, your cheeks flushed slightly. One of the straps of your nightgown had slipped off your shoulder and without thinking; he reached out to fix it. Tracing his fingers up your smooth arm, he shifted the thin strap back to your shoulder. You shifted for a second and he stepped away, thinking you would wake up. But no, you just smiled and kept sleeping. He watched you for a few seconds before remembering he had to get ready, as did you.</p><p>Walking to the door, he opened it slightly; glad to see Will already waiting for him beside the guard you had danced with. “Bring me my datapad and a clean uniform. A towel too.” He ordered and Will nodded before scampering off.</p><p>The guard sent a nod to Armitage and he returned it before closing the door. Sitting down on a couch, he started to run through the plan for the day. You both would leave sometime after lunch, arriving on the Finalizer in the early evening. He had been packed already and a shuttle would come pick you both, following the same procedure as the one that dropped him- nobody got off the ship. There was a knock on the door and he opened it to see Will standing there with everything he asked for. He took it and was about to close the door when the guard stepped forward and said, “Their Majesties ask you to join them for breakfast once you both are ready.”</p><p>Nodding, Armitage closed the door and placed away his datapad. Seeing as you were still asleep, he decided to just go ahead and get ready. Taking the towel, he stepped into your bathroom again, avoiding the large tub. Stripping, he stepped into your shower and turned on the water, relieved to find it warm. As he washed, he realised he had not brought in his clothes or his own products. Sighing, he reluctantly used your shampoo and your soaps. Once he was finished, he dried himself off, stepping out and wrapping the towel around his hips.</p><p>You were blissfully dreaming about a faceless figure who you just <em>knew </em>was handsome. He watched you as you slept, leaning in close and stroking your arm, his touch feather light and making your skin feel like it was on fire. The figure was just about to kiss you, when you heard the water running. Cracking an eye open, you saw your room was still dark, gentle rays of sunlight streaming in through your closed drapes. If you were in bed, who was using your bathroom? As the water stopped running you realised it was your new <em>husband</em>. You debated on what to do, deciding you would delay interaction for as long as possible. The door opened and you shut your eyes, pretending to be asleep.</p><p>Opening them ever so slightly, your heart almost stopped when you saw Hux in just a towel, one that was hung dangerously low on his hips. You watched the water droplets trickle down his toned chest, past his hard stomach and his Apollo’s belt. Ripping your gaze back upwards just as you crossed his navel, you hoped your breathing was normal and your face still. Seeing him like this, his hair wet and messy and his torso on display was making you feel things. Your stomach was twisting into knots and you felt a certain ache, like you were empty. You wanted to slap yourself because your body was betraying you; you were <em>not</em> supposed to find him attractive. You forced yourself to lie very still, hoping he would leave soon.</p><p>Armitage had gotten out the bathroom and immediately felt like he was being watched. Years of military instinct had made his senses sharp and mind always on the alert. He sent a glance your way, noticing how your cheeks were flushing by the minute, and he immediately knew you were awake and watching him. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, he stood still, confident in his looks and enjoying the fact that you were getting flustered. When he felt you were adequately hot and bothered, he headed to the boudoir. You watched him go, sighing with relief that you had not been caught. This was soon shattered when you heard him say, “If you are quite finished with admiring me, get ready. Your parents are waiting at breakfast.”</p><p>His tone was so cocky, he was so full of himself and you could almost <em>see </em>the expression he had on his face. Sitting up with an angry scoff, you retorted, “I was not admiring you. I was, um I was-”, stuttering towards the end as you tried to think of an excuse.</p><p>“No need to explain yourself princess.” You heard him quip and you got out of bed, marching towards the boudoir, ready to yell at him.</p><p>He had his back to you, in his tight pants and dress shirt and you cleared your throat, prompting him to turn and face you. You immediately regretted your decision; all the buttons were open and his chest was on display again, looking even better in the light. Not daring to look down, you felt yourself get flustered as he stepped forward, a small smirk on his lips as he asked, “Yes? Do you need something?”</p><p>The suggestive tone was not lost on you and you kept backing away, noticing this was the first time you had seen him smiling, well somewhat smiling. He looked so handsome when he smiled. He kept coming closer and you felt resistance on your back, cursing the person who invented walls- they were really causing you to get stuck in compromising positions. He stepped close enough for you to see the flecks of green in his eyes, heat radiating off him as he smelt like your wildflower soap. You blinked rapidly, trying to control your beating heart and steady your breathing. He was leaning down, why was he leaning down?</p><p>Then you heard your salvation, a knock on the door. “Who is it?” You called out much too eagerly, seeing Hux step away and start to button up his shirt.</p><p>“It’s me, my lady. I’m here to draw your bath.”</p><p>You had never loved Alyce more. Throwing a glance in Hux’s direction and seeing him pull on his blazer, you called out to Alyce. She came in, bowing her head at Armitage as he took a seat on your couch, starting to tap away at his datapad. Alyce could tell you were flustered and smiled knowingly. You wanted to clear up her clearly <em>deranged</em> assumption, but instead you grabbed her hand, dragging her into your bedroom and slamming the door. Armitage watched this with a small smirk; he had been right last night. You wanted him and it would not be long before you vocalised this.</p><p>Once inside your bedroom, you saw Alyce look around, her eyes resting on your bed. She was confused, and she turned to you before asking in a low voice, “My lady, I know it’s not my place to ask, but why is only one side of the bed slept in?”</p><p>You panicked, damn Alyce and her observational skills. You debated on whether to tell her and decided to reveal the truth since you trusted her explicitly. “Nothing happened last night; he went to sleep in the boudoir.” You said and watched her eyes widen at your confession.</p><p>As she drew you a bath, Alyce’s mind was working on overdrive. Why had he left the marriage bed and slept in the boudoir? Was the General not attracted to you? He would have had to be blind for that. Unless he already found someone else attractive. This worried Alyce, you were such a good and kind mistress and she felt the same affection for you that she felt for her young sisters. She could not have your marriage fall apart so quick and as she watched you step into the tub, her mind was made. Rushing out and finding your packed bags for the trip, she rummaged through them, quickly replacing the items before anyone would notice. Stepping away from the bag as you stepped out of the bathroom, Alyce smiled at her handiwork. After seeing you in those, the General would not be able to resist you.</p><p>You had wanted to linger in the bath for a while, but since you knew your parents were waiting you hurried up the process, stepping out and drying yourself. You found Alyce dutifully waiting for you and you picked out your dress for the day. It was white, with short, golden embroidered sleeves, the embroidery snaking downwards to the torso in a corset-like design, stopping by the hips. The skirt was tulle and flowed to your ankles, sheer enough for someone to see your legs. Happy with your designated outfit, you wore a pair of golden sandals, leaving all jewellery for now. Stepping out into the boudoir, you saw Hux still on his datapad. You cleared your throat and he glanced up.</p><p>Did you not own anything even slightly demure? His eyes panned up from your barely covered legs to the bust of the dress. You were made to be looked at, but he would rather you get flustered admiring him, not the other way round. Getting up abruptly, he walked out the door and you followed. You both walked in silence, and just as you were about to reach the dining hall, you latched onto his arm. He looked down at you questioningly but you did not offer him an explanation. As the doors to the dining hall opened, you let out a laugh, smiling up at him and pulling him inside. Once he saw your parents looking overjoyed at your linked arms, he understood what you were doing.</p><p>You walked inside, arm in arm with Hux, putting on a small display for your parents. Now that you were married, you did not want them thinking you were miserable. They had already been heartbroken over the fate of one daughter; you would not allow them to despair on your part. Taking your seat next to your father, you greeted them cheerily. As they responded, you saw Hux pull out the seat next to you and you stiffened slightly. While it made sense for him to sit next to you now that you both were married, you were not used to being in such close proximity with him. As breakfast was getting served, your mother asked, “So when do you leave for the ship?”</p><p>Seeing as you had the same question, you swivelled in your chair to face Hux, raising an eyebrow. He took a sip of his water before replying, “After lunch, Your Majesty.”</p><p>Your mother nodded and you felt yourself worry. That was much too soon, you had thought the shuttle would come sometime in the night, giving you plenty of time to spend the day relishing your favourite spots on the planet. “If so, I would like to have lunch on the balcony, and perhaps go out for a bit.” You spoke, pouting and turning to your parents for their permission.</p><p>Your father just shrugged, much to your surprise and said, “Ask your husband darling.”</p><p>Trying not to pull an expression of disgust at your father’s words, you took a deep breath, turning to face Hux with the same pout. He took you in for a moment, knowing he had to prepare you and explain regulations before you boarded the Finalizer. You could tell he was about to refuse and you looked up at him innocently, pulling your signature doe eyes before saying in a soft voice, “Please.”</p><p>He saw you pout, your eyes softening as you gazed up at him, your voice so innocent as you pleaded and he felt his heart sway. Dammit. Nodding stiffly, he saw your face break out into a genuine smile before you continued eating. This was ridiculous, could he not say no to you? <em>Not to that face,</em> he realised. He was not sure what the future entailed, what if his heart kept melting this way? Would it mean he would perhaps love you? Pushing away the thought as soon as it crossed his mind, he continued to eat in silence, not daring to send another glance your way.</p><p>Once you were finished eating, you sprang up, debating on what all you could do till lunch. You were about to start walking to the exit when your mother suggested, “Why don’t you take Armitage with you?”</p><p>Before you could refuse, you heard Hux say, “I’m sorry but I have to finish up some work before we leave, you will have to excuse me.”</p><p>Nodding, you practically skipped out and Armitage watched you go, knowing it was best he avoid you for a while to get himself under control. Now that you were finally alone, the possibilities coursed through you. As you walked through the hallway, you froze when you crossed by <em>her</em> door. As much as you did not want to, you missed Calliope. Making sure nobody was watching, you opened the door and went inside. The room was still the same, your mother having it so, in case Calliope decided to return. You walked past the boudoir into her bedroom. The bed was made, everything spotless and it seemed like Calliope would saunter in any moment, sending you a gentle smile. Pangs of hurt stabbed your heart as you opened her closet. She had not taken anything with her, the clothes and jewels were all still there, her circlet in your mother’s alcove. Pulling out her favourite dress, you hugged it against you. It still smelt like her, lavender, and the familiar scent made you tear up. Sinking to the floor, you held on to the dress like it was your lifeline, sobbing for your sister. While you resented her for leaving, you still missed her so much. If only you could have volunteered to marry Hux the moment you saw Calliope hesitate, perhaps she would not have run away.</p><p>You stayed there for a while, collecting yourself and closing your eyes, pretending Calliope was still there. You wondered where she could be, obviously not Solaris if she wanted to keep her life. Perhaps you could find out aboard the Finalizer. You did not know what you would do with the information; perhaps it would give you some peace to know that she was happy and safe. Getting up, you placed away the dress and walked back out, sending once last glance at the door, behind which you had spent so many nights laughing with your sister.</p><p>You had wanted to go to the beach, take a stroll through the forest but now you did not feel up to it. Instead, you walked to the balcony, seeing servants already setting up lunch. How long had you been in Calliope’s room? You sat down on the couch, eyes on the horizon, not noticing the servants setting up two plates. You barely even noticed Hux walk in. Only when he cleared his throat did you realise you were not alone. Startled, you turned to see him sitting there, looking a bit confused at your behaviour. “Your mother thought we should eat together.” He explained, waiting for you to argue, but instead you just nodded.</p><p>He watched you pick at your plate, knowing something was wrong. Should he ask you? He decided to stay quiet, but when he saw you put away your plate having barely eaten anything, he spoke up, “You should eat more.”</p><p>You sent him a questioning look, was he caring about you right now? “Dinner on the Finalizer will probably be late and I don’t want you bothering me about your hunger then.” He added quickly.</p><p>Of course he did not care. Nodding, you ate silently. Once your plate was empty, you turned, your feet up on the couch. Hugging your knees you faced the railing, taking in the view. It would be a while before you saw it again. Something was definitely wrong with you, but Armitage did not think you would tell him even if he asked. Still, seeing you like this was a bit unnerving since you were always so full of life. He was about to ask you how you were feeling when he heard a knock on the door. He turned to see a guard, who bowed before saying, “Your Highness, General Hux. The shuttle has been sighted. It should land in a few minutes.”</p><p>The guard left and you got up wordlessly. Walking to the railing, you closed your eyes and let the cold wind caress your face. Opening your eyes again, you saw the sun shine brilliantly; Adamant looking like it was made of diamonds under the light, the white contrasting against the deep green forest. Your home, your beautiful home. Backing away slowly, you stepped into the hallway, Hux following. You both separated, each heading to your rooms to check if everything was ready. Standing in front of your mirror, you wore one of your smaller, simpler circlets, having packed away your regular circlet to reserve for important events once on the Finalizer. This one had an understated beauty, only three sapphires in the vine-like metal. You had already asked Alyce to double check the bags to see if they were full and whether you had kept your makeup. Everything seemed to be in place and you tied up your hair into a twisted bun, letting a few strands hang loose.</p><p>Opening your door, you saw guards already waiting to take your bags to the shuttle. You let them into your room, following them out to the main gate. Your parents already stood there with Hux, who held his greatcoat and cap. Walking to them, you sent a smile to your parents. Standing next to Hux, you watched as the shuttle came closer and closer, feeling a twinge of nervousness at your upcoming trip. You would be on a ship that he controlled, with him as the only familiar face amidst eighty thousand. Still, you tried to think of the positives. This would be your first time on a large ship and you were excited to explore. It had also been years since you had travelled on a ship, which was bound to be another exciting aspect. Your mood improved significantly at this and as the shuttle landed, you turned to bid your parents farewell. You hugged your father first and he kissed the top of your head before saying, “Make us proud and represent Solaris well.”</p><p>You nodded dutifully, kissing your father’s cheek and stepping towards your mother. She hugged you tightly and as she pulled away, you saw her eyes full of tears. “Stay safe and don’t forget to stay in touch.” She said, sniffling slightly and stroking your cheek.</p><p>Nodding, you smiled at your parents before saying, “I’ll miss you both. I love you.”</p><p>You watched Hux walk to your father, shaking his hand, taking in his surprised expression when your father rested his hand on his shoulder, clapping it a few times and nodding at him. As he stepped to the queen, she hugged him tightly, whispering in his ear, “Take care of my daughter.”</p><p>Nodding, he stepped away and said, “Thank you for your hospitality.”</p><p>Nodding at the king and queen one last time, he stepped away, starting to walk down the marble steps, you at his side as the guards carried your bags. He thought about how much had changed since he arrived. He was married, to you instead of Calliope. His ring was under his glove, he did not wish to remove it since the queen had told him it had been your grandfather’s. Your own ring was on your finger, glittering under the sun. The door for the shuttle opened, and you turned to Hux. He stepped forward first, you behind him. The interior was like any standard shuttle, a few figures who you knew were stormtroopers on the ship. As soon as they caught sight of Hux, they saluted and stood at attention. You observed your husband as he barely acknowledged them, noticing that he got much more authoritative as soon as he stepped onto the shuttle. Your guards got on, placing the bags on the floor of the shuttle. They bowed at you one last time before stepping off, the door starting to close as you caught one last glimpse of your parent’s standing on the steps. You watched as the stormtroopers stepped towards the bags, starting to pick them up. “Careful with those.” You said, seeing them handle the bags with much more care at your words.</p><p>Turning, you saw Hux already seated and watching you expectantly. Taking a seat next to him, you were content to stare at your lap as the shuttle took off, not wanting to gaze upon your home, knowing it would make you emotional. Your plans were soon shattered when Hux cleared his throat. Deciding that now was a good time to ask questions seeing as he was stuck with you with nowhere to go, you spoke before he could, “What’s the name of your ship?”</p><p>Blinking once at your question, he responded with no small sense of pride, “My star destroyer is called the Finalizer.”</p><p>It confused him when he saw your awaiting expression, like you were expecting him to continue speaking. When he did not, you pulled a confused face and said, “That can’t be all. It’s incomplete.”</p><p>“What?” He asked testily, trying to control his already flaring temper- how dare you say something about his ship?</p><p>“It’s incomplete. What’s it finalizing? It should be called the Finalizer of the Resistance. Or joy. Whatever fits.” You explained.</p><p>He was about to snap but then he caught your expression. You were not being malicious, it was a genuine suggestion from you no matter how ridiculously absurd it sounded. “I’ll take that into consideration.” He added dryly, seeing you smile to yourself.</p><p>He watched you for a second before remembering he had to tell you about the rules. He was about to speak when he heard you gasp softly, eyes shifting from his face to the window. It was dark now; the shuttle had left the planet’s stratosphere and was now on its way to the ship. He followed your line of vision, seeing the cerulean Solaris amidst the vast black of the galaxy. You had a smile on your face and you whispered, “It’s so beautiful.”</p><p>Seeing you like this, a look of wonder on your face, your eyes wide and full of stars with a smile warm enough to put the sun to shame, Armitage found himself agreeing with what you said, but in regards to you. He stayed silent, wanting to capture this image in his mind. Feeling his eyes on you, you faced him again. Realising he had been caught, his expression steeled before speaking, “I want to inform you of the rules before we are aboard.”</p><p>You pulled a face, shaking your head slightly before saying, “Can’t we delay this? I’d rather admire the view.”</p><p>He would have said no to you, he <em>convinced</em> himself, had his datapad not gone off. Nodding reluctantly, he let you look out the window while he read through the files being sent to him. You stayed quiet throughout the trip, mostly staring out the window but throwing a few glances to your husband as he worked. Would he always be like this, always working? As you thought of this, you felt yourself get confused. Why did it matter? Would you rather he pay attention to you? This kept you deep in thought till you saw something large in your peripheral vision. The object kept getting larger and the structure of the ship started to become clearer. So that was the Finalizer. You had to admit that it was impressive, as was the fact that Hux commanded it all.</p><p>As the shuttle started to pull into the hangar, Armitage shut his datapad, wearing his cap and fixing the lapels of his greatcoat. He sent you a glance, seeing you watch the ship with mild interest as the shuttle landed. Standing up immediately, he waited for you to follow suit. You got up, legs tingling from sitting for so long. Still you stood straight, smoothing out your skirt and watching as the door opened into a new world. You walked out after Hux, keeping one eye on the stormtroopers to make sure they were being careful with the bags. The hangar unusually empty, but you still took in the multiple shuttles with curiosity.</p><p>Armitage felt himself relax as soon as he stepped off the shuttle; he was finally back in his element. Taking long strides, he started to march out the hangar and into the hallways of the ship, wanting to reach his quarters immediately. A glance back showed you were following, taking in everything around you. The ships interiors were almost the absolute opposite of your home, they dark grey walls decked with First Order memorabilia making you miss the pale marble of your home. Still, terrible interiors aside, you enjoyed the novelty of the situation and you noticed the chilly temperature of the ship, not that it affected you. As you walked behind Hux, finding it difficult to keep up with his pace, you observed his demeanour. His posture was straight, arms folded behind his back, expression stiff as he walked. People stopped to greet him and pay his respects, their eyes full of fear and awe for your husband. He nodded at them, he might have even said a few words but right now Armitage wanted to get you to his quarters without many people noticing. Not that it was an easy task. You stuck out like a sore thumb; every officer that greeted him would shift their gaze to you and keep it there. He could not tell whether it was because of their curiosity at your identity, your revealing attire or your <em>stunning</em> looks. All he knew was that he did not like it.</p><p>You followed Hux, barely noticing the fact that officers were staring at you. It was hardly a new thing to have people look at you and so you were unconcerned about their gazes. The ship was absolutely massive, the interiors confusing and almost maze-like. Finally he stopped in front of a metal door, typing away at keypad and making the door slide open. He stepped inside and you followed, the stormtroopers placing away your things before saluting to Hux and leaving. You took in the room; it was a bit smaller than your chambers in the palace, but still fair sized. The colour scheme matched the rest of the ship, dull, dark and grey. There was a small sitting area with a couch and table, and a bedroom with a door that you assumed led to the bathroom. It would do. Turning, you saw Hux getting a bit too comfortable, already sifting through the drawers and this confused you. Why was he still in your room? Clearing your throat, you asked, “Where is your room?”</p><p>You hoped your question would give him a hint to leave so you could rest, but instead, he turned and sent you a cocky smile before replying, “This <em>is </em>my room doll.”</p><p>You felt your heartbeat quicken at the nickname, but you pushed that aside, wanting to clear out any misunderstanding. “Oh, then where is mine?”</p><p>When he did not reply, his expression deadpan, you realised that you would not have a separate room. Glancing back to the bed, you saw its size and how it would be a cosy fit for two people. Oh maker, you could hardly share a bed with him back in Solaris, and that one had been twice the size of this! Turning back to your husband, who was now seated on the couch, cap removed as he watched you, you knew you needed to act fast.</p><p>“We can’t stay in the same room, they don’t know you are married to me yet and it would be such a scandal for you to share a bed with some woman.” You said, trying to control the desperation in your tone.</p><p>“Wouldn’t be the first time.” He replied all too quickly, regretting his words immediately.</p><p>You raised an eyebrow, feeling your stomach churn. Of course you knew he had a past before marriage, why should you even care? Why were you feeling this way at his words? “That is irrelevant. I kick when I sleep.” You said as a last resort, hoping the lie would discourage Hux.</p><p>“Princess, be glad you are in my chambers and not housed in with the staff.” He said, and as much as you wanted to argue, you knew the cards were stacked against you this time.</p><p>You were on his ship now and you needed to tread carefully. Resolve hardening, you huffed at him before walking to your bags. If you were to live with him, you would make sure to adjust the room to your preference. Taking out your dresses, you walked to the closet, yanking it open and starting to hang them up next to Hux’s all black wardrobe. He glanced up from his datapad, surprised to see your dresses. “What are you doing with those? You don’t think you can wear them aboard, do you?” He asked, tone stern.</p><p>Turning to him, you took in his expression. He looked serious, but there was no way you were going to compromise on anything else. “What do you expect me to wear? A uniform? I’m not one of your soldiers.”</p><p>Your tone annoyed him and he shut his datapad, putting it away before responding, “No, you are my <em>wife</em> and I expect you to follow the rules aboard my ship.”</p><p>His words enraged you. Fire burning through you, you smiled at him widely. You would make him regret trying to order you. “I may be your wife, but you forget I am the heir to the throne of Solaris. I will only wear clothes that befit my station, including my crown, to remind <em>everyone </em>what my rank is. Wearing a uniform would be beneath me and may also hint at the fact that my allegiance lies with the First Order, when Solaris has always remained neutral. I am representing my planet and a silly move like that could affect its image. So in case I haven’t made it clear, I’ll wear what I want.” You spoke, tone controlled and almost saccharine, watching Hux’s face shift at your words.</p><p>He could not believe what you were saying, your posture prideful and your tone almost mocking. It irked him, but you had provided with a logical reasoning and he could not argue with it. Still, he did not like being ordered or his commands refuted. He stood up, about to give a biting reply but he saw your eyes shift to a corner. You saw the small litterbox in the corner of the room, turning to Hux and asking a little incredulously, “You have a cat?”</p><p>As soon as he nodded, you dropped to your knees, holding out your hand and calling out to the feline. Armitage watched you, about to cut in and tell you that Millicent did not like strangers, which was why she had not come out yet despite his return. To his surprise, the tabby came out from under the bed, meowing loudly. He watched as she completely ignored him, walking to your outstretched hand. The ginger cat sniffed your hand for a second before stepping closer and you smiled, starting to scratch underneath its ears. As soon as you heard the cat purr, you scooped it up in your arms and stood up; turning to face Hux who looked like the ground had been snatched from underneath his feet. “What’s its name?” You asked as you pet the cat, her content purrs making her body vibrate.</p><p>“Her name is Millicent.” He said.</p><p>Upon hearing her name, the cat turned to Armitage, finally recognising her owner. He waited for her to attempt to get out of your arms and come greet him, but the cat made no such move, happy to blink at him from your arms. <em>Traitor.</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you all liked the chapter, let me know what you thought of it in the comments!<br/>Reader's dress- https://i2.wp.com/zorzstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/zuhair-murad-couture-ss13-paris_38.jpg?fit=682%2C1024&amp;ssl=1<br/>Reader's circlet- https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c1/e9/ce/c1e9cef250a5edfa25d4a6491905bed0.jpg<br/>See you next update!</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Beds and Bruises</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone! I am so happy with all the comments and kudos this story is getting, your compliments are too kind! You are all sweethearts and so I am back with a quick update!<br/>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Armitage could not believe the sight before him. You were seated on a spare chair, Millicent in your lap. The cat had barely acknowledged him and he was deeply annoyed by this. The feline would usually hiss at anyone that was not him and he now hated the fact that he had been replaced. You barely even looked at him, showering all your affection on the cat and he decided it was best he go visit the bridge. He could catch the officers by surprise and see whether they were slacking off in his absence or not. “I have some things to attend to. Do not leave the room.” He ordered, but you barely acknowledged him.</p><p>Scowling, he walked out the room, hardly responding to all the greetings being sent his way. Once he reached the bridge, his eyes scanned through the room. Everyone was working diligently and once they caught a sight of him, they paid their respects. One of the higher ranking officers, Glover, approached to welcome him, giving a report of the week. “Yes, that is all. Where is Captain Phasma?” He asked, desperately wanting to talk to someone who was not a sycophant.</p><p>“Captain Phasma is on Starkiller base, training our troops.”</p><p>“Hmm. Any news from Ren?”</p><p>“Yes. He said he would be returning in a few days sir.”</p><p>Finally, a bit of good news. While Kylo did manage to get on Armitage’s nerves often, the man was also a close enough friend. Together with Phasma, the three were unstoppable. He would have liked to have someone to talk about his marriage, and most importantly about his new <em>wife.</em> It was ironic that he had suggested you as a bride by assuming that you were soft spoken and would be easily malleable. And here you were, spitting venom, tongue as sharp as his own. The scary part was that he could not bring himself to see you in a negative light despite your impudence. Of course, you annoyed him thoroughly and got on his bad side, but he did not hate you. He did not think he could hate you. But he would have to do something about your rebellious streak and soon. An idea formulating already, one that required Kylo Ren’s presence, he headed back to his room, feeling much lighter.</p><p>You had barely noticed Hux leaving, too focused on Millicent. You had never been allowed to keep pets inside the palace, Calliope was afraid of most animals. Any chance you got, you would sneak out to the stables with the best apples, feeding the horses, till you got older and your days were occupied with tutors. It felt nice to have a small fluffy creature to shower your affections on. It did surprise you that Hux of all people owned a pet, especially a cat. He had seemed the type to have a snake or a tiny acklay. Him having a cat made you rethink a few opinions you had of him, Millicent seemed well cared for and friendly so he must be a good owner. Even the way he looked at Millicent showed he cared, and you wondered if he would be like that with your children. This thought made you stiffen sharply, causing Millicent to yowl in annoyance. Why were you thinking about having children with that man? You did not want to sleep in the same bed as him and it was not like you could conceive any time soon.</p><p>Deciding to distract yourself, you gently placed Millicent on the floor, continuing to unpack your dresses. Once you were finished, Hux’s closet was almost too full to close, and you had still not taken out your ballgowns. Sighing, you decided to keep the rest of your things in your bags, until he could arrange for more storage. There was a window by the bed, but it had covers. You tried to lift them, but nothing worked. You caught sight of a small switch on the wall, flipping it and seeing the black covering slide up to reveal the view of the galaxy. You gazed out into the vast ocean of black, feeling surprised that Hux had such a wonderful view but he chose to keep it covered. Stepping away and flipping the switch again so the covers rolled down, you walked back to the small living room, just in time to see Hux walk inside. He did not acknowledge you, bending down to pet Millicent and you saw a spark of tenderness in his eyes. Once he stood up again, he said, “Meals will be delivered to our room. Dinner’s already on its way.”</p><p>You nodded, taking a seat on the chair while he sat down on the couch, pulling out his datapad again and you rolled your eyes. As Armitage started to read, he caught your expression and the eye roll. Sighing deeply, he closed his datapad, placing it away and facing you. You were surprised at his actions, sitting up a bit straighter now that his eyes were on you. Deciding it may take decades if you waited for him to initiate conversation, you asked, “Will you be introducing me tomorrow and showing me around?”</p><p>“Yes to the latter, but only certain areas. As for the former, the announcement requires a large event and gathering. I am equally unaware of the details.” He responded in an even tone and you were glad he seemed less hostile and controlling.</p><p>“How will you explain my presence on the ship till then?” You inquired</p><p>“It isn’t uncommon for planetary representatives to come aboard a Star Destroyer before deciding to pledge allegiance.”</p><p>“And do they all share a room with you?” You quipped.</p><p>“No, you have the honour of being the first, princess.” He responded and the way he said your title made butterflies appear in your stomach.</p><p>“Get a grip.” You muttered to yourself, clenching your fists.</p><p>“Did you say something?” He asked.</p><p>“Nothing.” You replied quickly, not wanting him to know you were flustered.</p><p>You both sat in silence for a few moments till he spoke, “I want to explain the routine we have here. Mornings are early, high ranking officers such as myself get their food delivered to their room by a droid. I rarely tend to be in my room and keep quite busy, I do not wish for my schedule to be disturbed. In tomorrow’s tour, I will show you some areas you are allowed to visit if you should please. Under no circumstances are you allowed to interact with anyone and reveal our relationship before the time is right. You might want to take off your ring to keep up appearances.”</p><p>Everything else you could have agreed to, but when he said you might have to take off your ring, you shook your head vehemently. “It belongs to my grandmother and it may not mean much to you, but it means the world to me. I’ll make up an excuse if someone asks about it.”</p><p>“It should not have to come to that.” He responded sternly, but you ignored him.</p><p>Wanting to change the topic, you watched as Millicent leaped up on the couch and took a seat on his lap. “I never expected you to have a pet. When did you get her?”</p><p>Surprised by your question, he paused for a second, thinking whether he should tell you. Then again, you were his wife. “I found her actually. On one of the planets I was on. She was a kitten then, tiny and weak. She had been abandoned and she yowled so loudly it caught my attention. I decided to take her in.”</p><p>As he spoke, you could hear the genuine care he had for his pet and you smiled, he was capable of kindness. He noticed your smile, glancing your way and feeling unnerved as you continued smiling and making eye contact. You looked lovely and he felt a bit exposed under your gaze. He was about to speak again, but his plans were foiled by a knock on the door. Knowing it was the service droid with the food, Armitage had the door open. The droid entered and you watched as it laid out covered dishes along with plates and cutlery before leaving. Pulling your chair closer, you watched as Hux raised the lids and tried to control your disappointed expression when you saw meat and broth.</p><p>You had expected something better for a General, yet you were hungry and unable to complain. You took an experimental sip of the broth, your nose crinkling in distaste. The food was bland, almost flavourless. The meat was the same, barely seasoned and as you chewed you sent a glance to Hux. He seemed fine eating and you sighed. Finishing the broth you had poured for yourself, you left the meat alone. Placing your dish back on the table, Armitage noticed how you had barely eaten. He could not hold it against you; the food aboard the Finalizer was a far cry from the meals in the palace, its main goal being sustenance rather than taste.</p><p>The droid returned to clear away the plates and you decided you wanted a bath. The warm water would clear away the last of the strain from the travel and help you sleep. Standing up, you saw Hux send you a questioning glance. “I’m going to take a bath right now. Since we have to share the bathroom, how about you use it in the mornings and I will at night?” You offered and Hux did not respond, already on his datapad.</p><p>Taking his silence and lack of protest as a yes, you took your bag of toiletries and sleepwear into the bathroom with you. It was even more modest than the room itself and you sighed. There was no tub and so you found a towel, stripping and stepping into the shower stall. Fiddling around with the controls, you finally managed to get the water running, except it was cold. The temperature did not affect you, but you preferred having your water scalding, finding it more relaxing. After a bit more tweaking, the water turned lukewarm and you sighed, realising this was as good as it was going to get. You washed yourself, using Hux’s surprisingly luxurious toiletries.</p><p>Finishing you stepped out, wrapping the towel around yourself and bending down to take a nightgown out of the bag. You saw a piece of paper inside, which you ignored, rummaging through the contents. The nightgowns inside seemed to be different from the ones you had packed and you frowned. Pulling one out, your blood ran cold. This particular one was made of the most transparent lace, seeming more like a ribbon than a nightgown and you hurriedly put it away. Where were your long silk gowns? Seeing the piece of paper again, you took it out, unfolding it to see Alyce’s handwriting. <em>'He won’t leave the room when he sees you in these.’ </em></p><p>Oh Maker! Alyce had intervened and replaced your nightgowns with the lingerie and provocative things you had ordered for Alyce when you were updating her wedding wardrobe. Your sister had been scandalised at the items and they had been safely placed away in your room. And now, you had nothing else to wear. Taking a deep breath to steady your nerves, you thought for a second. On one hand, the clothes were much too provocative and might give Hux the wrong idea. On the other hand, he had riled you up with his naked chest and enjoyed seeing you get flustered. It was time for revenge. Slipping on a nightgown that you thought was still more modest compared to the rest, you wore the lacy underwear Alyce had packed. You were going to kill her when you got back. Gathering your discarded clothes, you took a deep breath before stepping out.</p><p>Armitage had changed into his night suit, consisting just of a pair of sleeping trousers. He was now on the bed, finishing the report his officers had compiled for him. He could hear you in the refresher, his eyes shifting to the metal door every few minutes. Still, he tried to focus and was almost finished with the report when he heard the door to the refresher open. Instinctually, his gaze shifted upwards and what he saw made him feel like someone had stabbed him in the heart. There you stood hair half dry and skin glowing, dressed in a black nightgown- if he could even call it that. The piece of clothing barely covered your upper thighs, the material sheer to the point of being almost transparent and he could see your lacy black panties. The lace trim on the bodice and hem kept your dignity, while the cold shoulder design revealed your collarbone, the long sleeves flowing to your wrists. You looked <em>divine.</em> He watched you with hungry eyes, his mind picturing all the things he wanted to do to you and all the things he <em>needed</em> you to do to him. Blood was quickly rushing south and he quickly sat up, placing away his datapad and using a pillow to cover the tent in his pants.</p><p>You pretended not to notice his borderline predatory gaze, lightly humming to yourself because you knew it irked him as you placed away your clothes and circlet. Bending over slowly, you could swear you heard him groan and you smirked to yourself. Payback was always so satisfying. Rising back up when you heard footsteps, you turned just in time to see Hux storming towards you, wearing a robe to cover his bare torso. You were about to ask what was wrong when he beat you to it, “<em>What</em> are you wearing?”</p><p>“It’s called a nightgown, haven’t you heard of them?” You responded airily, sending him a saccharine smile.</p><p>You attempted to walk away, turning but you felt him grab your arm, pulling you back as he growled, “What are you trying to do wearing something like this?”</p><p>Deciding you needed to think quickly before you got stuck in a situation you could not get yourself out of, you pretended to look worried as you replied, “Oh, it was my lady in waiting, Alyce. Poor dear thought we had marital problems and that you did not find me desirable and so took matters into her own hands and replaced a few items from my luggage. Believe me when I say this is the most modest thing I could find.”</p><p>You watched as Hux growled at your words, sending an obvious glance downwards to the <em>huge</em> bump his robe was covering terribly before saying, “It seems like Alyce was wrong in her assumption, looks like quite the opposite from where I’m standing.”</p><p>He felt his blood boil from your words, especially since he knew you were right. Standing in front of him with a smirk and that outfit, he would have done anything you said at that moment. Still, he had to maintain the facade of control, to satisfy his own ego. “Well I’m glad you came around just in time for us to share a bed. As I do recall, your father gave me his word about you giving me multiple children.”</p><p>As he said those words, Hux started to pull you towards the bedroom and your heart froze, the enjoyment of teasing him wearing off suddenly now that he probably wanted to put out the fire you had started in his pants. Wringing yourself free of his grip, you responded, “We are not sharing a bed.”</p><p>Armitage could see the hesitation in your voice, catching the way your gaze flitted to his partially covered chest. Your resolve was already crumbling and it had barely been two days. Taking the opportunity, he pulled his robe off, taking pleasure in seeing your pupils dilate, stepping closer and whispering, “Really? Doesn’t look like that from where I’m standing.”</p><p>You felt chills run down your spine as he dropped his voice so <em>deliciously </em>low. His exposed chest and unnervingly large erection was making your stomach knot and your heart beat faster, but you had to stay strong. Stepping away from him and walking to the bed, you snatched off a pillow and stated, “I’ll sleep on the couch.”</p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous princess. You won’t be able to.” He snapped almost immediately.</p><p>Irritated by his words, you stepped past him after throwing him an annoyed look, placing the pillow on the couch and saying, “Watch me.”</p><p>Frustratingly enough, he crossed his arms over that muscled chest, leaning against the wall as he watched you with interest. Clenching your jaw, you sat down on the couch, wincing when you felt how hard it was. You were about to give up, but saw Hux’s eyes on you and lay down, resting your head on the pillow. It felt like you were lying on a slab of granite, the pillow barely providing relief. You had once slept on the marble coffin of a particularly hated ancestor after getting annoyed with reading about his conquests and ended up with a sore back for weeks. Right now, you would kill to be asleep on that grave. The floor looked more comfortable than the couch but you had something to prove. “Goodnight General.” You called out loudly, and watched him roll his eyes before walking away, getting onto the bed.</p><p>You kept glaring at him from where you were, wishing to be back home. You missed the food, you missed your bed and most of all you missed having nobody to be confused about. And right now you were confused. He annoyed you with his ego and overconfidence, but Maker, he was a gorgeous. You were already feeling yourself get affected by his presence and you prayed for strength.</p><p>How could one person be so absolutely, completely and utterly <em>stubborn? </em>He was watching you from the bed, clearly uncomfortable on the couch. You had been used to beds as soft as clouds and now you were stuck on the couch, one that even made him ache after too much time on it. Deciding to take the civil route, he called out, “Come to bed (Y/N) you are being ridiculous.”</p><p>His words strengthened your resolve and so you ignored the rising ache in your body as you replied, “I am fine. In fact, I am perfect.”</p><p>You were perfect, but why was he thinking this? Huffing in anger, he decided he should not waste his time on you anymore, he had an early morning. Without another word, he flipped off all the lights, turning over and drifting off, dreaming about you in that nightgown.</p>
<hr/><p>You managed to drift off after hours of tossing and turning, trying to find the perfect position that did not make it seem like your whole body hurt. You wished you could sleep dreamlessly, but unfortunately you were not so lucky. Your husband was in your dream, on the bed with the covers pulled up to his hips, his glorious chest on display as he kept smirking at you, repeating the same thing, “Come to bed.”</p><p>Armitage’s eyes snapped open and he checked the time. It was five-thirty in the morning, his daily duties usually started at seven. He stayed in bed for a minute before getting up, noticing that the tent in his pants had not gone away overnight. Groaning, he switched on a few lights and walked to the closet, only to have his eyes attacked with colour. Your dresses hung in the closet, making it almost difficult to access his uniforms and he cursed. Finally managing to pull out a fresh suit for the day and shutting the closet door, he walked to the living room. You looked incredibly uncomfortable on the couch, curled up in yourself as you slept and he sighed. You were so stubborn. Trying not to stare at you for too long, he walked to the refresher. Stripping and turning on the shower, he made sure to have the temperature ice cold so that the problem in his nether regions could be taken care of.</p><p>Once he was done with his morning routine and dressed, he slipped on his gloves over his ring, hoping the slight bump would not be noticeable to his men. He stepped out and saw you were still asleep. You had to be given a tour of some areas of the ship and he was not going to run later than schedule because of you. Stepping to you, he reached out, about to shake your bare shoulder awake but pulled away his hand last minute, deciding it was best not to touch you since he finally got the blood to flow away from his genitals. Instead, he called out your name sharply, seeing your eyes flutter open. It was impossible for someone to look good while waking up, but there you were proving him wrong.</p><p>The first thing you saw as you opened your eyes was your husband inches away from your face and you let out a shriek, sitting up abruptly. He grimaced at your reaction, standing up straight and saying, “Glad to know you are so excited to see me. Get ready, we have breakfast and then I take you around the ship. Time is of the essence.”</p><p>You nodded at his words, too tired and sore to argue or come up with a witty remark. First you walked to the closet, pulling out a dress you felt was appropriate before stepping into the bathroom, washing your face with cold water to wake yourself up. Brushing your teeth and massaging your temple, you looked at your reflection in the small mirror above the sink. Thankfully there were no bags under your eyes yet, but you could see bruises having formed on your body from sleeping on the couch. It was unfortunate that you were sensitive, but you did not need Hux seeing these and being proven right. Wearing your provocative undergarments courtesy of Alyce, you put on the dress and sighed in relief when you saw it covered your marks. Tucking away the nightgown, you stepped outside, ignoring Hux’s gaze and trying to hide your distaste at the breakfast on the table.</p><p>He saw you come out, feeling almost relieved that your dress had sleeves upon the first glance. The second glance made him see the plunging neckline that stopped just above your navel, the golden belt pinching in your waist to look impossibly small, the semi-sheer tulle thankfully covering your body. You did not acknowledge him as you got out your jewellery, putting on enormous gold earrings and your circlet and wearing silken slippers, your enormous ring still a fixture on your finger despite his protests. Once you finished, you started to brush thorough your hair, smoothing it out and tying it in a low ponytail. He saw you look at the breakfast and he was frustrated that you were not eating. He picked up a plate, filling it with bread and wordlessly handing it to you, making a mental note to head to the kitchens and find fruit.</p><p>You were surprised at his gesture, taking the plate and starting to nibble on the bread as Hux finished his breakfast, seeing him gulp down his coffee. He stood up as soon as he was finished and you put away your half eaten plate, pushing away your hunger and aches, excited to see the ship. “When we are with people, you are not to call me by my name. General will do, Hux in desperate circumstances. Clear?” He asked and you scoffed.</p><p>“I don’t call you by your name in private, let alone public. Refer to me as Princess or Your Highness and we shouldn’t have a problem.” You replied and watched his jaw clench.</p><p>He did not say a word, stepping out into the hallway and you followed, seeing that people were already out and about. Everyone paused to greet Hux, sending glances over to you but too afraid to ask who you were. He walked briskly and you managed to stay at his side, putting enough space between you two so that you would not get flustered. The ship’s interiors did not get any brighter sadly, but you were still interested as Hux showed you the large dining wing for most of the troops and officers. Next, he walked you past a few training rooms, not showing you inside. Getting onto an elevator, he then stepped off in the medical bay, your nose being attacked by the strong smell of chemicals. You could see the nurses flitting about and you tried to remember the location in case your altercations with Hux got violent and you ended up hurting him with your jewellery. Back on the elevator, you snuck a glance at your husband. He looked mildly irritated and you wondered if it was because of you.</p><p>Armitage found it difficult to believe you did not notice everyone’s stares. Wherever he took you, everyone’s attention and reverence towards him would shift to pure admiration for you. He could have forgiven a few curious stares and looks of lust, you were beautiful and mysterious and people were naturally inquisitive. But this was ridiculous. Some of his most stony officers had been reduced to drooling teenagers when they saw you, and you were looking more covered up than Hux had ever seen you! Even now, you stood poised, acting blissfully unaware of the effect you were having on everyone and he sighed.</p><p>As you both stepped off the elevator, Hux took a few turns and pointed out a room. You could see it was brightly lit, shelves of books covering a wall with a few empty couches. “That is the break room meant for higher ranking officers. As you can see, it is barely used and so you can visit it during the day if you must.” He spoke and you nodded slowly, glad that you were being given a place to go.</p><p>He then led you down a hallway full of stormtroopers and you knew this area must be important because of the security. Stopping in front of the door, Hux typed into the keypad and it slid open. You followed him inside, taking in the room. There was a large sturdy desk in front of you with an armchair. The wall behind it was thick glass, showing the stars and the room was full of First Order symbols. A few files were on the desk and as Hux crossed it to take a seat, you realised this was his office. You could see crystal decanters of liquor on a small table at the side and as you saw Hux rest his arms on the desk, you wondered how it would feel if he bent you over it. You inhaled sharply as the thought crossed your mind and he glanced up at you, eyebrow raised. You shook your head, standing there with your arms crossed, eyeing the couch with distrust.</p><p>“That concludes most of the tour, I have work to do now and it’s almost time for lunch. You’ll return to my quarters now, unless you need to visit the break room.” He said, already starting to sort through the files on his desk.</p><p>“We won’t be eating together?” You asked, regretting your question immediately since it gave the impression you wanted to eat with him, when in fact you <em>thought </em>you wanted to eat with him.</p><p>Your words softened his demeanour and he sighed, looking up from his desk and replying, “I usually eat in my office, if at all. A droid will bring you food and you’ll have an escort with you at all times.”</p><p>As he finished, there was a knock on the door before a stormtrooper walked in, saluting at Hux. “Your job is to follow her everywhere. Wait outside a room till she leaves and I will be the only one to dismiss you from your duty. Understood?” He spoke and you noticed how commanding his tone was, unfortunately also noticing how said tone made your knees weak.</p><p>The stormtrooper nodded dutifully, turning to you. You could see your reflection in his helmet and you missed Ajax’s friendly smile. Still, you controlled your emotions, walking out the office with the stormtrooper on your tail, not after sending a glance back to Hux.</p><p>You did not feel like going to the break room and you thankfully remembered the way back to Hux’s chambers. You walked through the halls with your head held high, not bothering to attempt conversation with the walking tin box at your heels. Once you reached the room, you stepped inside only to see it cleaned, a small droid setting up lunch for you. Your dress and nightgown were folded away carefully; looking like they had been washed and you were impressed. The droid rolled out and you sat down on the couch, sighing deeply and wincing as you felt your hips ache.</p><p>Uncovering the lid of the plate, you found more meat and more bread. Realising you had not seen her since morning, you called out to Millicent. Thankfully, she emerged from her hiding spot, meowing happily at you. Knowing you would not touch the meat, you placed it onto a tissue for her, putting it down in front of her and watching her eat as you chewed on your bread. It had only been a day but you were already tired of the food. Once you were finished, you tried to sit more comfortably on the couch, curling your legs up underneath you. Millicent sprang up to join you and you smiled as she made her way onto your lap. Starting to stroke her head, your lids felt heavy and you rested your head against the couch, falling asleep.</p>
<hr/><p>He had buried himself in work, taking a few trips to the training rooms and then to the bridge to see if anything required his attention. His mind did drift to you a few times during a day, but he convinced himself it was only because of his <em>mild</em> concern that you would be bored. Still, he had showed you the break room; there was not much else he could do. It was not like he could keep you around him all day, not that he wanted to. Or did he? What was wrong with him? He found himself wishing that Kylo return immediately, just so he could talk to him and his mind would be occupied with Kylo’s outbursts and not his wife. He barely ate lunch, downing a glass of whiskey to ease his mind. Once he was done for the day, he headed straight to the kitchens. As he walked through the halls, he wondered why he was going through this effort for you. So you would not starve was his first response, but then again that too had to hint at some underlying care he had for your wellbeing.</p><p>Once he entered the kitchen, the staff immediately stood at attention, looking worried. It was not every day the General decided to grace the kitchens with his presence and everyone wondered who was going to die. Instead, they were surprised to see the General demanded to inspect the stores of fruit and even more astonished when he ordered a sizeable helping of fruit to be served with his meals that were to be delivered to his quarters every day. Nodding dutifully, they sighed with relief as he left without another word, grateful of the lack of outburst.</p><p>As Armitage walked towards his quarters, he saw the stormtrooper standing outside dutifully. Flicking his hand to let the trooper know he was dismissed, he stepped into his quarters, Millicent meowing as soon as she saw him. Turning, he saw you on the couch asleep, Millicent in your lap. His heart flipped for a second but he steeled his expression, just as you opened your eyes. Seeing Hux, you frowned in surprise. How long had you slept? Sitting up properly, you got off the couch and sat down in your chair. Hux took your place on the couch, annoyed that Millicent followed you to the chair, jumping up on your lap. What would it take for his cat to be his again? He would be lying to himself if he said he did not enjoy the sight of you with his cat, smiling down at her affectionately and petting her gently. The droid came in with dinner and he saw the surprise in your eyes when he uncovered the dish of cut fruits.</p><p>Seeing the fruits made your stomach grumble and your mouth water, you were about to throw yourself off the ship out of frustration over the bland food. You sent Hux a thankful smile before digging into your food, surprised yet happy he had noticed your lack of interest in the meals. He had probably requested for fruits and this warmed your heart, he was not utterly emotionless. Once you were finished eating, you picked up your nightgown, stepping into the bathroom and hoping a warm shower would help relax your muscles for sleep. The warm water barely helped and as you slipped on your nightgown, you forgot that your bruises were now visible. Stepping outside, you saw the plates cleared away and the couch empty, Hux on the bed shirtless with Millicent curled up next to him.</p><p>When Millicent left his side and rushed off the bed, he looked up and saw you, in that nightgown again. Doing his best to control his blood flow and lustful thoughts, he watched you pet the cat before walking into the bedroom, grabbing a pillow when he noticed the bruises on your legs and hips, as well as the ones on your back. As you walked back to the couch, he realised they were there because you had not slept on the bed. He was out the bed and by your side in seconds, grabbing onto your arm and making you turn to him as he stated, “You are bruised. You can’t sleep on the couch.”</p><p>You noticed the slight concern in his tone and while it made your stomach fill with butterflies, you could not share the bed with him. “I’m fine. I can sleep here.”</p><p>With that, you lay down on the couch, but he did not miss your wince or the weakness in your voice. He felt his protective instinct flare, you were young and delicate and you were not used to such rough conditions. He felt he had failed your mother, unable to stop you from feeling discomfort and seeing your wide eyes and the harsh bruises, his urge to protect you flared. “You are being childish. Get in the bed.” He ordered.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>Sighing loudly in anger, Armitage decided it was time to take matters into his own hands. He bent down, scooping you up in his arms and trying to ignore the fact that you were pressed up against him and that the skin of your legs was impossibly soft and smooth. You gasped loudly at his actions, squirming in his arms as you tried to get free. As you resorted to push yourself off him, your hand found its way onto his bare chest and you felt how hard it was, feeling his heart thumping underneath your palm. “Put me down.” You managed to choke out, watching as he carried you to the bed.</p><p>“That’s the plan.” He responded before placing you onto the bed and pulling the covers onto you.</p><p>While the bed was still not as soft as you were used to, it was a huge improvement from the couch. You still tried not to sink into the mattress, sitting up straight and looking up at Hux before saying, “I can’t share a bed with you.”</p><p>He sighed again, exhaling deeply in a way to let you know he was on the last leg of his patience before replying, “I know princess.”</p><p>“Where will you go then?” You demanded.</p><p>He did not respond at your words, turning on his heels and walking to the couch. You watched with wide eyes as he adjusted the pillow and lay down, shutting the lights. He gave you his bed. You could not believe it. As you lay back down and snuggled into the sheets, you realised they smelled like him. Clean and fresh, with a hint of whiskey and mint. Inadvertently snuggling into them closer, you smiled as you felt Millicent jump onto the bed and curl up next to you.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you so much for reading, let me know what you thought in the comments, reading them makes my day!<br/>Reader's nightgown (just a bit less sheer than this)- https://www.atwish.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/650x/00ebdb709eda11214d024b30355318c4/4/5/4512264446_1030858548.jpg<br/>Reader's dress (also a less sheer than this) - https://style-anywhere.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/VALENTINO-HC-SS16-032-681x1024.jpg</p><p>See you next update lovelies!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Failed Plan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone! I cannot believe we've crossed 50 kudos already, I am so thankful you all enjoy the story! This chapter took a while, only because I got a bit sick in between, so I apologise. Kylo finally makes an appearance, and I really wanted to write him being on good terms with Hux. Hopefully he isn't too OC and neither are the other officers.<br/>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been almost a week since you had arrived on the Finalizer and you were bored. The novelty of being on a ship in space had worn off soon enough and now you found yourself feeling exceedingly cooped up. There was not much you could do all day and it was driving you slowly insane. A visit to the break room had made you realise the books were all just First Order propaganda and you would rather stab yourself in the eyes with forks than attempt to read those. This boredom was also making you more irritable and while Hux had given you the bed, you still found yourself not missing an opportunity to sneak in a snide comment, which would make him retaliate. It did not help that he was not giving you a definitive date for the gala meant to introduce you both as a married couple and so you were unsure how much longer you had to be away from Solaris. Not having spoken to anyone other than your husband and Millicent for a week was taking its toll on you. You missed your home, your room and the food in the palace- eating fruits for every meal was getting annoying. You missed being under the sun and feeling the wind hit your face, seeing the flowers in your gardens. Everything on the ship was too sterile, too artificial for you.</p><p>Even today, you had been left to your own devices by your husband, the conversation already minimal between the two of you due to the catty comments from both sides. You had been staying inside his quarters for a week and you decided you had enough. Standing up, you took in your reflection. Since you were not going outside, you had not been getting ready, just slipping on a large robe to wear all day and then your same nightdress, although you would be in bed before Hux even returned to the room. In the mornings, he was gone before you got up and the few moments you did get to see each other would be full of pent up frustration.</p><p>You had just finished lunch and decided you could not stay in the room any longer. Slowly pushing Millicent off, you rushed into the bathroom and stripped. Showering as fast as humanly possible, you used the small hairdryer tucked away in the bathroom cabinet before stepping outside in just a towel. You were going to explore and find your husband, demanding an answer or some viable form of entertainment so that spending the day would not seem so tedious.</p><p>Rummaging through your closet, you decided that you wanted to feel pretty. A dress caught your eye, shaded a pink so pale it could pass off as white. Pulling it out, you smiled appreciatively. Slipping on your underwear, you wore the dress and admired yourself in the mirror. It had a deep v-neck, showing the valley of your breasts and the skirt flowed to your ankles, the thin straps of the sleeves being secured with knots on your shoulders. The dress had golden crests printed onto it with an embroidered golden border. Slipping on your favourite golden gladiators that you had worn the day you first met Hux, you slipped on a breast chain that accompanied the dress. Wearing your circlet, you clipped away half your hair, leaving the rest loose. Some light makeup to give you a boost of confidence and you were done. Millicent observed you from the couch and you patted her head before whispering, “Wish me luck.”</p><p>Adjusting the ring on your finger, you threw your shoulders back, raising your head high and putting on your best ‘conquer the world’ expression and stepping out the room. The stormtrooper that had been assigned to you stood by the door, stiffening as soon as he saw you emerge. Without a word, you started to walk and you could feel everyone’s eyes on you. “Where will General Hux be at this time? His office?” You asked, turning to glance at the stormtrooper.</p><p>If he was surprised at you initiating conversation, you were not able to tell because of his helmet. When you got no response, you stopped, turning on your heels and walking up to the stormtrooper, making sure you looked livid before saying, “Don’t make me ask again. You don’t want me to complain about you to Hux and face his wrath.”</p><p>Your threat worked, the stormtrooper responding, “He’ll be on the bridge but entry is not allowed.”</p><p>Satisfied you got your answer, you realised you needed to lie to reach your destination. “I won’t go in, I just need to see where he is and request he come speak to me. It’s urgent. Take me there.”</p><p>You made sure your expression looked the perfect mix of commanding and pleading and it worked, the stormtrooper starting to march and you followed him, already working out a plan in your mind. Two elevators, a lot of steps and countless stares later, you were in front of the door to the bridge. As you started to step forward, you could hear the stormtrooper coming to stop you. Skipping out of his grip, you slid inside, a smile on your face as you took in the room, catching sight of Hux ahead, his back turned to you. As you started to walk further in, you heard the stormtrooper behind you call out, “No Princess!” but it was too late, and you saw Hux turn to see you, his expression shifting into one of pure annoyance.</p><hr/><p>How you had managed to get on his every nerve within a week of staying with him really left Armitage morbidly shocked. At every moment in time, he caught himself wanting to kick his past self for ever assuming you would be submissive and genteel. You were more irritable than an agitated beast, ready to snap at him at any moment. He was finding your disobedience annoying, every chance you got you would remind him how much you did not like being aboard the Finalizer, which he took as a personal insult. Calling his ship unfit was like calling him unfit.</p><p>He actually found himself missing the banter you both had in the first few days, the conversations now were just emotionally tolling. It did not help that when he would watch you sleep, he would feel calm and find himself smiling. It scared him that he felt himself start to slowly care about you, enough to want you comfortable as you slept and well fed, at the expense of a sore back and stares from the kitchen staff. At first he had excused his actions, connecting them to the promise he made to your mother to take care of you, but as he would sit in his office trying to focus on his paperwork and thoughts of you crossed his mind, he knew the promise was not the only reason. What was scarier was the prospect of caring alone, the way you were behaving did not make it seem like you had taken a liking to him.</p><p>He needed Kylo to get back and quick. Not only would his presence help the plan Armitage had to make you more cooperative, Kylo would help give more perspective on his emotions. He would also be instrumental in setting a date for the gala to introduce you to the First Order. At this point, Armitage was debating stealing a plane just so he could scour the galaxy in search of him. Getting out of his office, he ran through the details of his plan as he walked to the bridge. Kylo cut for an imposing figure, especially in full regalia and everyone naturally felt intimidated around him.</p><p>All he had to do was introduce you to him, let Kylo essentially spook you and perhaps use the Force as a tactic to scare you into submission. Nothing too serious, just enough of a tantrum to let you know you were defying the wrong people and your impudence would not be tolerated. He reached the bridge, Glover already at his side discussing plans and as his eyes scanned through the documents presented to him, he heard the door to the bridge open. Not caring who came in, dread stabbed him when he heard someone call out “No Princess!”</p><p>Knowing his <em>beloved</em> wife had decided to pay him a visit; Armitage turned on his heel and caught you walking towards him, wearing a dress that made you look like a flower amidst a graveyard. “What are you doing here?” He snapped, noticing the officers starting to observe you instead of working.</p><p>Hux looked angry but you did not care. “I came to see you, General.”</p><p>As you stepped closer, he noticed the low neckline and the breast chain that made sure everyone’s attention went straight to your chest, including Glover’s. After sending a glare to his officer, Armitage walked up to you, aware of the fact that everyone was now watching you before hissing, “What are you wearing? Change immediately.”</p><p>Pouting at his words, you saw an officer walking past you both, his eyes stuck on you and you called out to him, reading his nametag. “Wait a minute, Lieutenant Mitaka is it? How do I look?”</p><p>As you finished, you gave him a little twirl, seeing the officer start to blush while simultaneously feeling the anger rolling off Hux. The lieutenant stuttered for a second before spitting out, “Beautiful.”</p><p>Only then did he notice his commanding officer General Hux standing right next to the beautiful stranger and he felt his life flash before his eyes as he took in the General’s expression. You barely noticed Mitaka’s fear, turning back to Hux with a satisfied smirk before saying, “See? He thinks I look good.”</p><p>Armitage could feel a vein pop in frustration, you looked so sure of yourself and were fully aware of everyone’s admiring stares. Taking a deep breath, he turned to Mitaka, and ordered, “Get back to work immediately.”</p><p>The lieutenant shuffled away gratefully, glad to be away from Hux’s death stare. Facing you again, Armitage was about to speak when you beat him to it, “I wanted to see the bridge. I was terribly bored in the room.”</p><p>“I have important work here; I don’t have time to be giving you a tour of the place. It’s not a garden; it’s an essential part of the ship.” He snapped.</p><p>“I didn’t ask you to. I’m sure one of the lovely officers here would be willing to explain things to me.” You replied, a small smirk on your face and Armitage watched you, waiting to see what you would do.</p><p>Walking up further, you cleared your throat and asked, “Can someone please show me around?”</p><p>Armitage watched you as you fluttered your eyelashes at the officers, smiling at them and asking someone to show you around. He expected his men to stay put, like they had been trained to do so since birth, but apparently years of training was no match for your wiles. Almost every officer stood up from their station, ready to help you. Armitage wanted to take a blaster and shoot everyone, and you turned back to him, inclining your head towards the officers and sending him a challenging smile, an eyebrow upturned as if to ask what he was going to do next. “Everyone, get back to your stations this instant!” He barked, trying to keep himself from going red with anger.</p><p>Walking up to you he lowered his voice and ordered, “Go back to the chambers (Y/N).”</p><p>Pouting up at him, you titled your head and asked, “But why? I have nothing to do.”</p><p>As swayed as he was by your innocent expression, he saw his officers still glancing away from their screens to look at you and this annoyed him. “Go back to the chambers now.”</p><p>You could feel everyone admiring you as well as see how much it irked your husband and so you pretended to be oblivious, asking him, “Why should I leave?”</p><p>Seeing him inhale deeply to keep his patience made you smile, clearly enjoying seeing him so frustrated. Armitage saw you smile, immediately realising you were deliberately being annoying. “You are <em>distracting</em> my men.”</p><p>“That’s not my fault.”</p><p>“Stop being so obstinate.” He snapped, nearing the end of his patience with you.</p><p>“Then give me something entertaining to do.” You replied, not backing down.</p><p>Just as Armitage was about to snap at you again, he saw Glover approach, clearing this throat. “Sir, Kylo Ren has returned and is in his chambers.”</p><p>Glover’s words immediately calmed Armitage down and he started to smile, realising now was the perfect time to put his plan into motion. Turning to you he said, “Alright. I’ll introduce you to a colleague of mine. Come.”</p><p>You could tell there was something off about Hux’s smile, but you were glad that he was listening to you and so you nodded, following him outside, sending a wave back to all the officers. Armitage kept note of the ones who waved back at you so that he knew who to reprimand. Realising he would need time to explain the plan to Kylo; he led you to a small break room that faced Kylo’s chambers. You were confused when Hux asked you to sit down in the empty room till he explained, “I’ll see if my colleague is up for visitors, I’ll call you in as soon as he is. Don’t move.”</p><p>You nodded and watched him go, leaning back against the couch and replaying the events of the day, giggling to yourself at Hux’s incensed expression. Armitage barged into Kylo’s room and he knew his friend was back, because the chambers had an even more depressing aura to them. “I thought you died on some remote planet and was about to celebrate.” He called out.</p><p>Kylo emerged from the refresher, rolling his eyes at Armitage’s words before replying, “Sorry to disappoint. Maybe I’ll get news about your death instead.”</p><p>Walking up to Armitage, Kylo gave him a short hug, clapping his back and pulling away to see Armitage’s odd expression. “I do have news.”</p><p>“If it’s about Starkiller Base, I don’t want to hear it.” Kylo snapped.</p><p>“No. I got married.” Armitage said airily, waiting for his words to register.</p><p>Kylo blinked, not believing the general’s news. How could anyone like Armitage get married? “Who is she? When did this happen?”</p><p>“When you decided to disappear again, that’s when. She’s a princess of a planet that’s becoming increasingly powerful and it was a calculated alliance. We can discuss the details later.” Armitage explained.</p><p>“When are you introducing her?”</p><p>“Now actually. She may be beautiful but that woman has managed to annoy me in ways even you can’t. Which is why I need you to intimidate her with your Force and generally dour demeanour. She’s too rebellious for my liking.”</p><p>Kylo took in Armitage’s words. As if his being married was not a big enough surprise, he now revealed his spouse was a spoilt princess. Armitage’s description of her was not lost on Kylo either; he had never heard the general compliment a woman. Curious as to who she was, Kylo nodded, agreeing to Armitage’s plan.</p><p>Glad that Kylo was on board, Armitage stepped out to see you on the couch, calling you over to him. As you walked up to him, Armitage felt almost excited to witness the spectacle. He would finally get some peace and quiet now. Walking back inside, with you on his tail, he tried to control his smirk when he saw Kylo had dimmed the lights even more, his back turned to you both. His ridiculous helmet was on the bed, and Armitage felt disappointed, the effect would have been more dramatic if he wore it, but this would work too. A quick glance down to you showed him that you were a bit confused at your surroundings. Everything was going according to plan. “Commander Kylo Ren, let me introduce you to my bride.” Armitage called out, watching Kylo turn dramatically, waiting for the theatrics to start.</p><p>What he did not expect was for you to squeal at his side, rushing forward and wrapping your arms around a surprised looking Kylo. What was going on? You pulled away from him, smiling up and seeing his almost pained expression. “Benji! What are you doing here?”</p><p>Armitage was even more confused now, who was ‘Benji’? He analysed Kylo’s face, waiting for him to start terrorizing you like Armitage asked, but instead Kylo just smiled down at you awkwardly. You hugged him again before pulling away, turning to face Hux and saying, “I already know him. Very well in fact.”</p><p>Not liking the close proximity the two of you had, Armitage stepped forward, his expression harsh as he spat out, “What?”</p><p>Stepping towards your husband, you explained, “We used to meet a lot as children. Our mothers were friends.”</p><p>“Were? Did your mother die?” Ben asked dumbly behind you and you rolled your eyes.</p><p>“No, she’s fine. I assumed yours did, which would be the only way I’d accept the fact that you are playing dressup and on this First Order ship.” You snapped.</p><p>Armitage’s eyes widened, waiting for Kylo to throw you against the wall for your disrespect but instead he shrugged. What was going on? Armitage felt like he had hit his head hard, and was hallucinating all of this. His plan had clearly failed; you were smiling at Kylo instead of cowering in fear. “Let’s sit down and talk, it’s been so many years.” You said, not waiting for a reply and dragging Ben to a couch in the room, pulling him down with you.</p><p>Turning to see Hux, you saw him looking like his world had been changed and you were confused, what was wrong with him? Still, you had to talk to your friend and so you turned back to properly take in Ben’s appearance. He had grown into his ears, his hair was longer now and he looked more serious, but he was still the boy you would play with when you accompanied your mother for political visits. Senator Organa had been close friends with your mother and as a child you remembered travelling to visit them quite often, forcing the older boy to play with you. Amidst days of making fun of his ears and forcing him to make flowers float with his powers, you both formed a solid enough friendship and the sullen child started to actually like you. Until an incident back in Solaris made your father worry for your safety, banning all foreign trips and tearing your friendship apart at the seams. You had never expected to see Ben again, especially not in your current location, with a different name and different demeanour. Still, you were just glad he was there. You had so much you wanted to ask, but you noticed him exchanging looks with your husband. You were about to ask what was wrong when Hux stepped forward and said, “I’ll leave you two to <em>catch up</em>. I have work.”</p><p>Before you could ask him to stay, he stormed out of the room and left you alone with Ben. “I don’t know what happened to him. Anyways, do I have to call you Kylo now?” You asked, sending Ben a small smile.</p><p>He nodded and you sighed, sensing that perhaps the man in front of you was no longer your friend like you had assumed. It had been years since you had seen him, clearly he had been through a lot. You were about to get up and leave when you heard him say in a low voice, “How is your family?”</p><p>Smiling to yourself, glad to see he still cared, you made yourself comfortable, crossing your legs and facing him properly before starting to talk, giving him an update of the years he had missed. “What about your marriage? I am surprised you’re with Armitage.” He asked, still trying to figure out how you two ended up together.</p><p>His question made you think for a second and as you recalled the events of the wedding day, you found yourself smiling fondly. It had been a beautiful day and Hux had been a good partner throughout the whole thing, something which surprised you. Kylo noticed your smile, raising an eyebrow and you shifted your expression to a more neutral one before saying, “I’d rather not talk about it. It’s a long story and Hux should tell you before I do, since he was the one who suggested I marry him.”</p><p>The last part you had muttered to yourself, but Kylo still heard it. “What?” He asked incredulously and you shrugged.</p><p>“Like I said, ask him. I’d rather you do something for me right now.” You said, a devious smile on your face.</p><p>Kylo immediately knew what you were going to ask, being well acquainted with this look of yours and he shook his head firmly. When he saw your face fall, he let out a long suffering sigh and you took the chance, sending him a pout and your best doe eyes. The next second, you saw him focusing and felt yourself float upwards, clapping excitedly like a child. He made you float around the room for a second; being careful to treat you more gently than the officers he flung around during his tantrums, before setting you down on the couch again. You sent him a smile, glad to see he had not forgotten his childhood. “Do you want to eat here?” He asked and you nodded, your mind drifting back to Hux but only for a second.</p><p>It was good that you had some time away from him, you both ended up fighting and while you knew it was your fault, you did not want to own up to your mistake immediately. Being around him left you confused and you did not enjoy the feeling. He kept surprising you with his behaviour and it worried you. It was why you were being so callous. You were trying to see if he had a breaking point, if he was like everyone said, because if not, you were not sure what you would do. It would have been easier being married to the man who lost his temper, who was ruthless and evil because then you knew you would not love him. Being married to the man who gave up his bed because he saw you bruise was much harder. You had to remind yourself about the nature of this marriage and control yourself, but you could not help but feel <em>something</em> for him whenever he was in front of you. You cursed yourself for not knowing more about feelings, especially romantic ones. You had never been interested with the idea back on Solaris, sending wary glances towards all the couples gushing over each other. You had better things to do. Even Calliope had been more romantic than you, clearly believing enough in love to leave everything and run away with the tutor.</p><p>You were snapped out of your thoughts when Kylo let in the droid and you watched as a table was set up. There was no fruit and so you ate the bread, talking to Kylo about what he did on the ship. It did not go past you that Hux was the one usually running things, while Kylo said he was there more for intimidation purposes. Once you realised Kylo was mostly doing nothing all day, you knew your days would be less boring. “Can I spend time with you then? I have nothing to do.” You asked and Kylo nodded immediately.</p><p>Once you saw it was getting a bit late, you got up, promising to find Kylo tomorrow and leaving. Kylo watched you go and while his face was stony, his heart was happy to find you again. You had taken the place of the sibling he had always wanted and he had been torn when you had not been allowed out of Solaris. Now that you were back, Kylo found himself falling back into the role of a reluctantly protective older brother. He had to figure out what was going on between you and Armitage. Clearly there were some unspoken feelings on both sides and Kylo was going to make sure everything got out in the open. You both deserved to know what you meant to each other, all you needed was a gentle shove in the right direction, which Kylo would be more than willing to provide.</p><hr/><p>Armitage was practically fuming in his office. Not only did his plan fail since you knew Kylo, or ‘Benji’ as you called him, but you both seemed much too friendly for Armitage’s liking. He tried to convince himself that it was not <em>jealousy</em> he was feeling. He was just a possessive man and you were his <em>wife</em>. It annoyed him, how you could make anyone like you. It frustrated him to see his men turn into bumbling idiots around you and it frustrated him that you knew what effect you had on everyone. What was he supposed to do with you? He was not a patient man, but he had given his word to your mother to take care of you. Besides, he had told you as well that any development in the relationship would be from your consent. The way things seemed now, it was very likely that he would have to suffer a lifetime of celibacy.</p><p>He threw himself into his work, downing a glass of whiskey when he kept seeing your face as he closed his eyes.</p><p>Still, when it was time for dinner he almost rushed to his quarters, hoping to find you there waiting for him. Instead, all he saw was Millicent on the couch, who barely acknowledged him before going back to grooming herself. Knowing you had stayed with Kylo for dinner, Armitage glowered as he ate alone. Just as he was finished, his mind running with invasive thoughts of you, the door opened and you stepped inside. Not even acknowledging him, you strutted into the refresher, stepping out after a few moments in your nightgown, the same gown that awoke something feral in Armitage. He watched as you walked towards the bed, finally turning to face him before calling out, “Good night.”</p><p>He waited for a snide remark, but when none came, he sent you a curt nod, watching as you snuggled into the covers, Millicent bolting towards you. He stayed on the couch for a while, watching you as he slept as he felt the familiar sense of calm seep through him, he knew he had to talk to Kylo, make his boundaries clear.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, let me know what you thought in the comments! Kylo and Reader are strictly platonic and will remain so, but that doesn't mean Hux can't get jealous ;) <br/>Reader's dress- https://i.pinimg.com/originals/03/c5/8e/03c58eb57880c1fc147586c8609d7899.jpg<br/>See you lovelies next update!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Fights, Calls and Kisses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone, I'm sorry for disappearing for a while! Let's just say life has been a rollercoaster from hell these past few months and I have been drowning in trouble, deadlines and drama. Still, I forced myself to finish this draft from August and upload it here, I hope you all can forgive the absence!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sleep did not come easy to Armitage that night or the nights after. It had been almost a week since his plan had failed terribly and he had barely seen you. For some reason, he kept getting piled with work and try as he might, he was unable to make the time to seek out Kylo or have a conversation with you. The only time he saw you was when he got ready in the morning, when you would be fast asleep. Despite his rising annoyance that you were always with Kylo, he hoped it was keeping you happy enough. He still had no idea when you would be officially introduced as his partner, from the way things seemed it may take more than a few weeks and it was good that you had found a way to pass your time on the ship. Surprisingly enough, you had not contacted your parents yet; they had resorted to sending messages to Armitage, asking him to have you reach out. If only they knew how little you saw of each other. He had been terribly busy but he knew he had to talk to Kylo and you.</p><p> </p><p>It was already getting late and he stepped out of his office, back stiff from the nights sleeping on the couch. Pride stopped him from requesting a mattress for himself, the need to protect you and keep you comfortable stopped him from demanding back his bed. He could deal with a few sore muscles if it meant you were sleeping well. Still, he had to wonder, why did he have so much concern for you? Granted, the two of you were bound to one another, but your relationship was anything but a marriage. He hardly knew anything about you and he found himself wanting to ask.</p><p> </p><p>Armitage stubbornly labelled this want as pure curiosity rather than entertaining the idea that he may have any other feelings for you. He was so deep in his thoughts that he did not pay attention to the people in the hallway, naturally assuming everyone would step out of his way. Only when he bumped into someone did he get snapped out of his reverie, a scowl forming on his face as he wondered which of his subordinates was enough of an imbecile to allow such a mistake to happen. Just as he prepared to yell at the individual, he heard your voice say, “Sorry.”</p><p> </p><p>Stepping back, he saw you look up at him in surprise. It was nice to see you awake after so many days, and he took this moment to appreciate your appearance. You were in a sleeveless blue gown, the deep v-neck stopping a few inches below the curve of your breasts, while the slight sheer material had silver and gold filigreed flowers all over it, a golden belt cinching your already impossibly small waist. The dress, along with the demure circlet you had chosen for the ship twinkled in the dull lighting of the ship, your hair pinned away from your face. Blinking up at him with your doe eyes, you looked so beautiful and Armitage felt his heart ache.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>You had been spending a lot of time with Kylo, wanting to make up for the years you both had been separated. He had noticed you did not bring up your sister and so he never asked about her, the same way you did not ask about his past, letting him open up on his own accord. Most of the time you just rambled on to him, or watched something on your datapad together. It was easy to fall into your old dynamic, you being annoyingly persistent while he reluctantly did whatever you asked. While Kylo was a good distraction, you felt yourself feeling more caged as the days passed. You conveyed your worry to Kylo, telling him how much you were starting to dislike the atmosphere on the ship. He knew you, knew this was the last place you would feel comfortable, making a mental note to talk to Armitage about your dilemma soon.</p><p> </p><p>Today as you sat across him, it hit you that you had probably spent more time with Kylo these past few days than you ever had with Hux. It rendered you silent, and Kylo observed your worried expression. He did not even have to read your mind to know that amongst other things, you were also conflicted about your marriage. He knew what you were like, accepting Armitage as your husband would be an effort for you, a bruise to your pride. But rejecting him would hurt your caring side; hurt the part of you that preserved and valued all relationships you had, whether they were blood or otherwise.</p><p> </p><p>“Tell me what’s wrong.” Kylo urged and you looked up at him, seeing his encouraging expression.</p><p> </p><p>You debated on whether to reveal what you were feeling, not wanting him to think you did not enjoy spending time with him. Still, he was your friend and he had always listened to your problems in the past, albeit those involved broken dolls and terrible tutors. Taking a deep breath, you spoke, “It’s about Hux.”</p><p> </p><p>Kylo only raised an eyebrow, silently willing you to continue, “I can’t seem to understand him. One moment, he’s an asinine general trying to throw his weight around me and then right after, he’s caring. It’s almost as if there are two sides to him and I never know which one I’ll be dealing with.While I know this marriage is a contract and isn’t what I wanted, I obviously had a few fantasies concerning my married life and I can’t help but <em>crave</em> those now.”</p><p> </p><p>You stopped yourself before you revealed too much, trying to discern Kylo’s expression and hoping he understood. He sat there silent, almost pensive before speaking, “What exactly is wrong with fulfilling those dreams with Armitage? Obviously you won’t be marrying again, so why not try and make an effort with him?”</p><p> </p><p>You blinked. His tone was odd, like he was almost surprised you had not thought of this yourself. And you truly had not. You were too busy fighting yourself to make sure you did not find him attractive to even think about the fact that he could be what you wanted. Still, did you really want to submit to him?</p><p> </p><p>The self-assured expression he had when he revealed it was his idea to suggest you as a bride danced in your mind, and then his smirk on your wedding night when he promised that you would come to him willingly. Did you really want to give him the satisfaction of potentially being right?</p><p> </p><p>Kylo noticed your hesitation, reaching out and placing agloved hand on your shoulder in an attempt to comfort you. You glanced at him, sending a weak smile at his actions, knowing how uncomfortable he was with affection. His words were reverberating in your mind, making you feel slightly guilty for being so closed off with Hux. While the situation you both were in was not ideal, and he was irritating, you knew deep down you had not exactly been the most inviting. Mind made up, you continued your conversation with Kylo, determined to try and start afresh with your husband.</p><p> </p><p>Kylo asked what you would like for dinner and you thought for a moment before an idea crept into your mind. Since you had decided to work on your relationship, it would be best if you had supper with Hux. Conveying this to Kylo, you said your goodbyes and walked out, your mind in overdrive as you barely paid attention to your surroundings. Making your way to and from your room to Kylo’s had left you quite used to the route and so you kept your head down, debating on whether to find Hux yourself or send a droid with a message when you bumped into someone, immediately apologising.</p><p> </p><p>Looking up, you saw it was Hux himself and you blinked up at him, slightly perturbed at the coincidence. Still, it was good that he was in front of you now, clearly this was a sign from some higher power that you two had to talk. Since Hux was not going to speak, you took a deep breath, making sure your tone did not sound painfully forced, before saying, “I was on my way to have dinner with you.”</p><p> </p><p>He took in your words, surprised you wanted to spend time with him. It certainly took you <em>long enough</em>. He was about to agree, when he remembered his imminent conversation with Kylo- it could not be delayed any longer. “Unfortunately, I have urgent matters to deal with.” He saw your face fall, heart clenching immediately and so he added, “You go on, I’ll join you shortly.”</p><p> </p><p>You nodded, hoping to use the opportunity to talk to him about how much you hated being aboard the ship, as well as discuss the ceremony announcing your marriage to the First Order troops. As he watched you leave, Armitage wondered why he had been so quick to reassure you. It was not as if he cared about the impact his words had on people. He should have been curt with you to show his distaste at your absolute lack of interaction this past week. Yet, as soon as he saw you look disappointed, he knew he had to stop you feeling that way. This deeply disturbed him, causing him to quicken his pace to Kylo’s room, needing to set his mind straight.</p><p> </p><p>He did not knock, barging inside as soon as the door slid open and calling out for him. Kylo appeared from the refresher, clearly confused as to why Armitage was pacing around his quarters like a caged beast. “I don’t know what to do with her.” Armitage snapped as soon as he set eyes on Kylo, grunting in frustration and sinking onto a couch.</p><p> </p><p>“What did she do? I’ve been meaning to talk to you about her.” Kylo responded, taking a seat across the frustrated general.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you want to talk about?” Armitage asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion.</p><p> </p><p>“For starters, I’d love to know how exactly you both ended up together. The real story this time, you don’t want me wrangling it out of your mind.” Kylo threatened and Armitage nodded, sighing and leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he started to speak.</p><p> </p><p>“Word reached our Supreme Leader about Solaris looking to form alliances. I was the first choice for seeing it through. When I presented a suit, they accepted, inviting me to visit. Arriving on Solaris made me realise it was a completely different world, its wealth and infrastructure would be invaluable to our cause. They introduced me to (Y/N) and I thought she was my intended, when in fact I was supposed to wed Calliope.”</p><p> </p><p>Armitage paused, glancing at Kylo to make sure he was absorbing everything, all the while taking caution and not trying to reveal too many of his own emotions too quick. “It all fell apart when Calliope eloped with her tutor. The King and Queen came to me to apologise for their child’s mistake, trying to find a way to salvage the alliance. This was when I suggested (Y/N) as a candidate.”</p><p> </p><p>“You <em>asked </em>to be married to her?” Kylo questioned incredulously, trying to discern Armitage’s expression.</p><p> </p><p>“It was an oversight, I admit. I assumed she would be as meek as her sister, a shy and compliant partner.” Armitage snapped.</p><p> </p><p>“You dumb bastard.” Kylo muttered and Armitage looked up to see his amused smirk.</p><p> </p><p>“None of that is relevant. She is now my wife and I do not know what to do with her. She is so infuriating, one would think it would be easier reasoning with an infant. Her viciousness reminds me of a rancor and dammit, her <em>eyes</em>. They pierce through me.” Armitage exhaled deeply, relieved to get some things off his chest.</p><p> </p><p>“You haven’t <em>seen </em>vicious yet, my friend. Besides, it seems to me that the only reason she irks you so much is because you don’t know what to feel for her.” Kylo stated matter-of-factly, leaning back and enjoying the flurry of emotions on Armitage’s face upon hearing his words.</p><p> </p><p>“What are you trying to say?” Responded Armitage, his tone asinine as he refused to believe what Kylo was attempting to insinuate.</p><p> </p><p>“And here I thought you were above playing dumb. Clearly, there is something between you and (Y/N), something you would rather stay blind to.” Kylo admonished, relishing having the upper hand and seeing his friend get uncomfortable.</p><p> </p><p>“Listen to me. The only reason we are tolerating each other is because of the alliance. Solaris is a rising power and will prove to be an invaluable ally, which is why I attempt to keep her alive and mildly comfortable. Don’t confuse my duty for something else.” Armitage snapped, his tone venomous as he tried to convince both Kylo and himself that he meant what he said.</p><p> </p><p>“Fine, I’ll let this go. For now.” Kylo smirked, his attempt of confusing Armitage and forcing him to ponder over his marriage having worked.</p><p> </p><p>Armitage got up to leave, almost at the door when Kylo called out, “If you do want to keep her mildly comfortable, I suggest you get her off this ship soon.”</p><p> </p><p>Nodding subtly, Armitage walked out, his mind occupied with doubts. Looking at his expression was enough to make the stormtroopers and workers steer clear of him, some choosing to turn on their heels as soon as they saw their General coming towards them. He needed a drink. And so, forgetting that he promised to join you for dinner, he marched straight back to his office. Ignoring the crystal glasses, he picked up the decanter and started to chug, wanting to stop thinking about you.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Glad that Hux had agreed to dinner, you walked around the quarters, debating on whether to change into something fancier. You decided against it, not wanting to give the impression of being too excited about his company. You mentally repeated all the points you had made to convince him how much the ship’s environment affected you, hoping he would understand your trouble. As you paced, you caught a glimpse of yourself in the small vanity mirror. You looked unsettled. Frowning, you started to take deep breaths, letting your hair completely loose and carefully brushing through it to compose yourself. Once you were finished, you heard the door opening, turning around and expecting to see your husband.</p><p> </p><p>Seeing the droid disappointed you and you rolled your eyes, watching it set up the table for dinner. Seating yourself on the couch, you started to absentmindedly stroke a lounging Millicent, wondering what was keeping Hux so long. He had assured you that he would join shortly and so you made no move to touch the food laid out. To pass the time, you kept braiding and unbraiding your hair, getting more annoyed by the minute. As the minutes turned into hours, you felt your eyes droop, head leaning back against the couch as you shifted to get comfortable. He would be here soon, till then you just needed to rest your eyes for a moment.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>After finishing a decanter of whiskey, Armitage had tried to sit at his desk and calm down, but Kylo’s words gave him no peace. And so he paced in his office, the liquor he consumed hardly enough to make him drunk. After what seemed like hours of pacing, he still felt conflicted. A chance glance at the time made him take a sharp inhale, it was later than he had thought. His promise to you rang in his ears, he had kept you waiting for so long.</p><p> </p><p>Rushing out of his office, Armitage made his way to his quarters, silently cursing himself for not having checked the time sooner. Stepping inside, his gaze immediately landed on the untouched food on the table, and then shifted to your sleeping form on the couch. He shifted uncomfortably, a worried crease in his temple as he watched you sleep. You had waited for him. You were still in your day clothes, indicating that you had expected him to return soon. Your hair fanned all over the couch like a halo, your posture uncomfortable and he knew if you stayed longer, the couch would bruise you. Hesitating for a moment, he stepped forward, carefully scooping you up in his arms and starting to carry you bridal style to the bed.</p><p> </p><p>He tried to be as quiet as possible so that you did not wake up, taking this time to observe your face closely. You always looked so tranquil when you slept and he could look at you for days on end. Just as he was about to bend down and place you onto the bed, your eyes snapped open.</p><p> </p><p>You woke up to Hux inches away from your face, the expression on his face foreign and unreadable. Realising he was carrying you and that you had fallen asleep waiting for him, your anger started to bubble. What was the point of you trying to make an effort in the marriage if he was not going to reciprocate? “Put me down, right now.” You demanded, tone strict.</p><p> </p><p>He complied, setting you down on the bed and stepping away, but you were not going to let go of him that easily. Standing up, you snapped, “I waited for you, and you could not even bother upholding your commitment.”</p><p> </p><p>You searched his face for a sliver of regret, of apology, but found none. His encounter with Kylo and contemplation in the office had left him disturbed, and seeing your anger sparked his, fuelled by the fact that you were right and he had been wrong to keep you waiting. “I got busy. It’s hardly cause for anger.” He responded, tone terse as he flicked his hand as if to wave away your accusations, turning towards the refresher.</p><p> </p><p>This irked you even further and you marched up to him, blocking his way before hissing, “<em>Don’t</em> turn your back on me. You forget who I am.”</p><p> </p><p>How dare you threaten him? You were on his ship and it was time to remind you. Stepping forward, Armitage grabbed your wrists, backing you into the wall and trapping you. Towering over you, you saw his eyes flash with barely contained anger, his grip on your wrists tight. “Princess, don’t ever use that tone with me again. If it weren’t for the alliance, you would not have had the opportunity to finish your threats.”</p><p> </p><p>Your heart was beating faster than you would like, but you made sure to keep your expression resilient and defiant. He gazed down at you, not seeing a sliver of fear despite his words. Leaning closer to him, your lips by his ear, you whispered your challenge, “Do your worst General. I dare you.”</p><p> </p><p>Your words made his eyes widen, did your disrespect know no bounds? He debated on the best course of action, about to make a rash decision as he saw you kept glaring at him unflinchingly, but was distracted when he heard a beep at the door. His subordinates knew better than to disturb him so late at night, and so there must be an emergency, which caused him to let go of you and step away. Seeing your self satisfied expression irked him as he snapped, “Don’t for a second think this conversation is over <em>Princess</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Narrowing your eyes at his tone, never one to let him get the last word you spat back, “Perish the thought General.”</p><p> </p><p>You watched as his features twisted into a sneer, about to reply back to you when the door beeped again. Marching towards it, Armitage glared at the officer when he came into sight, expression stiffening when he saw the reports the officer held. They were ones Armitage had requested for urgently and the officers never dared to delay a demand from the General. Taking the reports, he dismissed the officer, stepping back inside to see you standing expectantly in the middle of the living room with your arms folded, clearly waiting to continue the fight. Growling in frustration, he ignored you and sat onto the couch, starting to scan the reports.</p><p> </p><p>You huffed indignantly at his audacity to ignore you, clearing your throat loudly in an attempt to catch his attention. When he gave you no reaction, you hissed, “I thought we weren’t finished.”</p><p> </p><p>Without glancing upwards, he gave you his saccharine reply, “As much as I enjoy our little talks, I have something important to do.”</p><p> </p><p>“This is important too, I have things to say.” You insisted, but the man was as stubborn as you were.</p><p> </p><p>Knowing you had to get his attention some other way, your wracked your mind for ideas before realising your husband’s biggest weakness. Smirking, you slowly walked towards the couch, sitting down on the other end and making yourself comfortable. Your movements were slow and deliberate as you yawned, stretching your legs before putting them up on the couch too, your skirt riding up to your knees. You could feel his gaze on you now and you tried to control your smile as you looked straight ahead, inconspicuously pulling your skirt further up till it bunched around your upper thighs.</p><p> </p><p>Armitage really was trying to focus on work, successfully managing to ignore your whining. When he noticed you coming to the couch, he prepared himself for every possible situation, other than you sitting down next to him. Seeing as you were making no noise, he kept reading the report, but when he felt you shift, he glanced at you from the corner of his eye. Your skirt was up to your knees, and his breathing hitched in his throat. As your skirt inched upwards, he could not tear away his gaze, clutching the reports so tightly they were starting to wrinkle. Now that your glorious legs were on display, Armitage wanted to look at nothing else. It was not as if he had never seen the female form before, in fact he was well acquainted with it, but this was you. You enticed him like no other and all he could do was watch. He could feel you shift, trying to turn back to his work but a glance up at your smirk told him he had been caught.</p><p> </p><p>“Since you seem to be staring at my legs more than the papers, I suggest we talk it out.” You said, not hiding your triumphant tone.</p><p> </p><p>Knowing there was no way out of this but through, Armitage made a show of putting away the reports, swivelling to face you, scowl already in place as he asked, “Where were we princess?”</p><p> </p><p>“I was just about to tell you how much I hate being on this ship.” You quipped, shifting a bit closer to him, forgetting your legs were still on display.</p><p> </p><p>“How dare you insinuate there is something wrong with my ship? The Finalizer is-” He started, anger flaring but you cut him off.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I’m not insinuating there’s something wrong with the ship, I’m <em>telling</em> you there’s something wrong with it. It’s dark, the food is terrible, the room is uncomfortable and I’ve been here two weeks straight without any news of when I’ll be introduced as your wife.”</p><p> </p><p>“The room is uncomfortable? The food is bland? Is that all you can come up with? You need to understand that not every place can be as extravagant as your home princess. The multiple pillows, million dishes and impossible amounts of decoration. This is the real world, I suggest you get acquainted to it. Not like <em>your</em> world, which is far too much. In fact, you are too much.” Armitage snapped, seeing you seethe at his words.</p><p> </p><p>Leaning forward so you were now inches away from his face, you made sure to send him your harshest glare before spitting out, “I’m too much am I? You are too little.”</p><p> </p><p>Anger sparked through him and he was just about to reply when he noticed how close you were to him, almost on top of him. Your skirt was still bunched up, your breaths short and deep because of your anger, and he gave you a once over. You noticed Hux’s eyes shift, the anger giving way to something else entirely and you suddenly felt too exposed. His gaze was entrancing and you saw him glance down at your lips. Your heartbeat quickened at this, did he want to kiss you? And more importantly, did <em>you</em> want to kiss him? You could not lie to yourself, you were tempted, and just as you shifted imperceptibly closer, you heard your datapad start to ring.</p><p> </p><p>The two of you sprang apart at the sounds, breaths heavy before you got up, rushing to the bed where you device was, seeing it was your parents trying to video call you. Taking a deep breath and making sure your appearance was perfect, you sat down on the bed and attended the call. Immediately, your parent’s smiling faces filled the screen and a stab of nostalgia hit, you had never been apart from them for so long. Still, you sent them a beaming smile, noticing they were seated in the gardens, and your eyes drank in the sight of the sunlight and grass.</p><p> </p><p>“There she is, the light of my life.” Your father exclaimed, and his familiar voice sent another pang in your chest.</p><p> </p><p>Your mother was silent, just smiling at you, her eyes full of unshed tears and you tried to look happy before speaking, “Father, Mother, I miss you so much. How is everyone?”</p><p> </p><p>“Everyone is perfectly fine sweetling, please tell me how you are. You look a bit weak.” You mother gushed, concern lacing her tone and her brow creased as she took you in.</p><p> </p><p>You shrugged, sending her a smile and trying to seem casual as you replied, “Oh it’s probably the room’s lighting, it isn’t the best.”</p><p> </p><p>“If you say so dear, do take care of yourself. Where is Armitage?” Your mother asked, making you freeze.</p><p> </p><p>How were you supposed to tell her you had been fighting moments ago, and practically could not stand the sight of each other. You were about to come up with a lie about him being busy with work when you felt cold hands cover your shoulder and your back stiffened. “Hello Your Majesties. I hope you both have been keeping well.” Hux spoke, his voice cordial, and a quick glance upwards showed you he was smiling.</p><p> </p><p>His behaviour threw you off, you did not expect him to talk to your parents or attempt to cooperate, especially in the middle of a fight. You noticed how your parents relaxed even more seeing him, your mother starting to ask him how he was. You tried to pay attention to her words but could not focus on anything other than his hands on your bare shoulders, They were large, the grip was firm but not painful, the skin smooth. The touch felt intimate, especially since you both were used to dancing around each other.</p><p> </p><p>“How is your married life going?” Your father asked, his tone as joking as it could get for a man as austere as him.</p><p> </p><p>You froze up at the question, sputtering to respond when Hux leaned down, his hands shifting away from your shoulders, his arms wrapping around your waist instead, hugging you from behind. You inhaled sharply, stiffening up even more when he kissed your cheek, his warm lips lingering for a second before pulling away and replying, “Things have been wonderful, thank you for asking.”</p><p> </p><p>While he did pull away from the kiss, his arms still stayed wrapped around you, and you could smell his soap from here, as well as the whiskey he had been drinking. His chest felt hard against your back, broad and reliable and you tried not to sink into him. Your mother noticed your discomfort before asking, “(Y/N) are you sure you are all right? You’re not pregnant are you?”</p><p> </p><p>Your mother's words make you choke, eyes widening in horror and embarrassment and you started to cough, trying to expel the spit from your windpipe. Hux also went rigid at her suggestion, starting to awkwardly clap your back to put you out of your misery, his mind running wild. Being so close to you was already doing things to him, your body supple against his and your scent intoxicating, your sharp inhales as he touched you driving him wild. Suggesting children had him thinking about the future, already picturing you with an infant, and Armitage was surprised to find himself not disgusted with this. Your reaction clearly was nothing short of disgust, and he tried to stop your coughing.</p><p> </p><p>When you finally stopped, you exhaled weakly, on edge and extremely aware of Hux’s touch before replying tersely, “No Mother, I am <em>not</em> pregnant. It is much too soon to even suggest it.”</p><p> </p><p>Your mother and father chuckled at your reaction, before your father placated you, “You know your mother likes to tease. Now, as much as we would love to keep talking to you, we need to attend to a few matters. We love you darling, do stay in touch. Take care Armitage.”</p><p> </p><p>Before you could even say your goodbyes, the call ended, Hux stepping away from you immediately. You stared at the black screen of your datapad, eyes starting to tear up now that your parents could no longer see you. Emotions you had been keeping suppressed since you stepped onto the ship started making their way through you, and before you knew it, you were wracking with sobs.</p><p> </p><p>Armitage had stepped away, about to return to his work when he heard a wholly unfamiliar noise. You were crying. Freezing, he watched as your shoulders shook, crying onto the datapad. He did not know what to do or how to react. Sure, he had <em>made</em> people cry, but how to make someone <em>stop </em>seemed like a completely different activity. Clearing his throat, he tried to catch your attention. When that did not work, he called out to you, trying to make his tone sound soft.</p><p> </p><p>Upon hearing your name being called with surprising tenderness by your husband, you turned to face him, not bothering to wipe away your flowing tears. Armitage tried to control a sharp inhale, how was it that you managed to look beautiful while crying? Your cheeks had flushed, your lashes were now wet and glittering, eyes looking impossibly large. Your expression looked so sad, you looked so young and Armitage had to remind himself that you were not even twenty-one yet. “I miss them so much, I miss everything so much.” You choked out brokenly, a fresh bout of tears streaming down your cheeks.</p><p> </p><p>Your words spurred Hux forward, and before he knew it, he was across you on the bed, tentatively reaching out to take your hand. This action silenced you immediately, and you glanced down at your entwined hands before looking up at Hux curiously. Armitage’s heart did a flip seeing you look at him expectantly, the expression so unintentionally innocent. His protective instinct flared, his drive to make you happy fuelling his words as he spoke, “I know staying on the ship has not been ideal for you, and I regret being insensitive about it. I also regret not joining you for dinner today. Do you want me to order something for you right now?”</p><p> </p><p>You blinked at him surprised. Was this his way of apologising? His tone seemed so tender, his touch gentle and eyes sincere, it made your heart pang. Shaking your head no, you sent him a weak smile before whispering, “Thank you, I’d just like to sleep right now.”</p><p> </p><p>Nodding, Armitage let go of your hand, skin burning from the lack of contact, not knowing yours felt the same way. His previous words were the closest he had gotten to an apology and a part of him was not surprised you were the first person he had somewhat apologised to. He stepped out of the bedroom, walking into the refresher and splashing his face with cold water. Leaning his hands on the sink, he took a deep breath and tried to calm his mind. What was he doing? It frustrated him that unlike the rest of the things he did, his marital experience was something he was not good at. It seemed to him that being married to him had just made you miserable, and having you stay with him on the ship was an even worse punishment.</p><p> </p><p>He finally started to realise your situation. You had grown up around nature, and putting you in the ship’s environment was like taking a plant away from sunlight. You had been withering slowly, and he had not noticed. Stepping outside, he came back into the bedroom to check up on you, only to see you fast asleep. Walking up to you, he pulled the covers up on you, smiling as he saw Millicent curled up next to you.</p><p> </p><p>Your brow was still creased with worry, your lashes still wet with tears and he sighed deeply, knowing he had to get you off the ship and soon. Without having you properly introduced to the First Order, you could not be sent back home, but he could not keep you here any longer. An idea formed in his head and he rushed to his datapad, starting to type away and place orders. Another glance at your sleeping form solidified his resolve. He was going to make sure you were okay again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, please let me know what you thought of it in the comments, and don't forget to leave kudos! </p><p>Readers dress- https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a7/c0/c2/a7c0c238b2bd28ea3d0f4692f9a908b7.jpg</p><p>I'll see you next update lovelies!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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